Scandal (Tainted #1) (31 page)

‘I can take it, Blondie, if it’s you.’

‘You’re on, Collins.’

Chapter Twenty-three

Alicia didn’t lap him. In fact, there wasn’t much they tried that she beat him at, but he didn’t gloat, even when she was forced to tweet her defeat and buy the hotdogs after he all but wiped the floor with her. She didn’t care either. There were no memories from her childhood that were ever this much fun, so she conceded to buy him lunch.

Even laughed at herself when she got mustard on the breast of her white blouse. It soon strangled in her throat when Sebastian leaned forward to mop it up with his tongue, going way wide and flicking over her nipple instead.

She batted him away. ‘Kids, remember?’

But she couldn’t be annoyed at him, not when the day had gone better than she dreamed it would. Especially after last weekend when she almost let him slip through her fingers. But she’d made a promise to herself to take each day as it came and savour every moment.

Then she’d fight for him when the time came.

She’d also started doing things for herself. The almost see-through blouse and skinny jeans she wore were step one of her action plan. But the harder step, big number two, wasn’t as easy. Not when she’d lived her whole life trying to make her parents happy, and quitting her job didn’t fit into that category.

Still, it was what
she
wanted and that’s what she had to focus on.

He flashed a grin. ‘I’ll try to behave.’

She didn’t really want him to, but she’d have to wait before she could get her hands on him. Opting for a topic that wouldn’t give the kids and geeky-looking teen behind the counter an eyeful, she asked, ‘How often did you come here?’

‘Every chance I got. I think my mum felt bad for moving around a lot, and didn’t want me to miss out on all the things a kid should experience.’

‘It must have been tough,’ she said, pity for him swelling up inside again. He’d had a harder life than he admitted, and she got the feeling deep down his old dreams were still there, but after Mai, he was just too afraid to wish for them.

Not that her childhood had been easy. She had a hard enough time fitting into the private school she attended, refusing to engage in chat about boys or anything inappropriate that her mother said young girls shouldn’t talk about. But to never be in the same place long enough to make proper friends? That was rough.

He shrugged. ‘That’s why I really proposed to Mai. I wanted a connection that would last.’

Her heart stuttered. Here she was, back to hoping. But he’d said
wanted
. Things had changed and she needed to remember that – prepare herself in case he still wasn’t ready to take their relationship further no matter how hard she fought.

Even if he did still want those things deep down, she might not be the right woman for him. He might not even be ready to open himself up like that again.

Sebastian polished off the rest of his hotdog. She forced herself to eat half, but her stomach felt heavy and a bit uneasy. All week she’d managed to convince herself she could live in the moment.

It wasn’t easy. Her wardrobe was full of his polo shirts, jeans, and shorts. The closet by the front door now had a hanger for his racket and all his tennis balls. It was like their lives were merging, and despite his obvious exhaustion every night, he still gave her the most toe-curling orgasms, even if the sex wasn’t as athletic as it had been last weekend.

Still, she meant what she’d said to him. The sex wasn’t the most important thing – just a delicious bonus. Spending time with him was just as fun, as today had proved. He’d brought her here because it was a place he had good memories of. Untainted ones when his life was moving from country to country, and though she tried, she couldn’t not feel touched.

‘Your mum sounds fun. All our mother taught us was how to be reserved so we’d be more attractive to men of good standing.’

He made a face. ‘In this case, I’m happy to be in the bad standing category. You’re much more fun without all the snobbery.’

She threw her napkin at him, pretending to be miffed and put on her most proper accent. ‘I am not a snob.’

Laughing, he tugged her chair around the table and threaded his fingers through her hair. ‘No, you’re not. You’re perfect the way you are.’ The amusement fled from his eyes and his expression became serious. ‘Don’t ever change. Promise me.’

Her heart fluttered as his breath brushed against her face, making the room around her sway. Even though his words stung, she could tell from the strain around his eyes that thinking they’d be over soon was affecting him too. Maybe she wouldn’t have to fight too hard for them.

‘I promise,’ she said, holding on to his wrists to keep him close.

For a second, pain crushed his expression, but a huge smile soon wiped it away. Her stomach ached for him, she could see he wasn’t ready to talk about the serious stuff and today had been too fun to ruin by pushing him.

She untangled herself. ‘I think it’s time I beat you at something.’

His brows rose. ‘Want me to go easy on you now?’

‘No. Bring your A-game. You’re going to need it.’ Taking his hand, she led him towards the old arcade games. ‘I’ve got this in the bag. Highest score wins.’

Sebastian slipped some coins in and watched as she took hold of the joystick, her thumb rubbing suggestively over the top as she steered Pacman away from the ghosts. Sebastian swallowed, his gaze riveted on the way she used both hands to do indecent things to the stick. With any luck, she’d get him so hot and bothered he wouldn’t be able to focus on the game.

A few pulls and twists later, she noticed him rearrange the front of his pants and the thought he was turned on from watching her play shot her concentration to bits. Her breasts got heavy, oversensitive, and every suggestive shift of the joystick made the material rub against her.

Soon she lost her last life, but didn’t care since her score was pretty good and she was going to play dirty the second he started. They switched places, Sebastian’s attention staying on her chest until she cleared her throat.

His grin was wicked. ‘I’m going to blow your score out of the water, then we’re going home.’

In his dreams. ‘How about we make it more interesting?’

‘I’m listening.’ His gaze roved over her body and she felt totally naked, rather than in jeans and a top.

‘The winner gets whatever they want from the loser, all night long.’ As far as she was concerned, either way would be a win because Sebastian would want to be inside of her.

‘You got yourself a deal, Blondie.’

He started playing and she moved to stand behind him, a little to the side, pretending to focus on the game. His shoulders were tense, the muscles beneath the polo bunching every time he moved the stick, and she was getting hotter just watching. But that wasn’t conductive to him losing. This time she wanted to win, had the incentive, and after all these weeks with him she knew he couldn’t resist her.

Alicia slipped her hands beneath his polo and around, dipping her fingertips beneath his jeans and boxers. Pacman lost a life and Sebastian cursed.

‘Doesn’t look like you’re trying very hard, Collins.’

‘It’s not easy when you’re playing dirty.’ But he returned his focus to the machine and she guessed he was upping the ante.

Time to up hers. Alicia slid her hands along, until her index finger brushed the tip of his erection. He hissed and his penis jerked, but he kept his attention on the game and played with infuriating skill. She swiped the bead of moisture that had already formed on the crown, and pulled her finger away to taste it. She moaned and exaggerated a sucking sound with her digit in her mouth, fighting back a laugh when Pacman died again.

‘Alicia, I’m going to spank you if you keep this up,’ he whispered.

Her cheeks flushed, but it wasn’t embarrassment. ‘Maybe that’s one of the things I want you to do.’

Going for the win, she waited until he’d forced his attention back to the game, then grabbed the length of him. Sebastian trembled and his knuckles whitened around the joystick but he didn’t let that beat him.

Alicia glanced around, her frustration growing as he pulsed in her palm. There was no one close, but she was positive someone would catch her if she stroked him properly. Instead, she ran her nail gently down the vein on the underside and he grabbed her wrist, but still played with a focus that was becoming a little insulting.

She squeezed him hard, smiling when he gasped and muttered a filthy promise. But the score kept rocketing, and getting more desperate to touch him, she slid her free hand up the front of his polo, across the tight muscles on his belly until she came to his nipple. She plucked it, feeling his erection swell under the onslaught, and forgot to pay attention to the screen.

Sebastian ended the game, then pulled her hands off him. She was worried she’d taken it too far, until he turned and the lust in his expression nailed her feet to the spot.

‘I win,’ he announced. ‘Now you’re going to pay.’

Taking her hand, he practically dragged her out of the arcade.

He’d never been so turned on or strung out in his life.

If Alicia had kept up the teasing and he wasn’t so close to winning, he’d have had to take her in the middle of the arcade, with whoever watching. Luckily, a shred of sanity prevailed and he spent the journey home plotting all the ways he was going to make her pay. The fact that her skin was rosy and her breathing so hard it was like he’d just made love to her only spurred him on more.

When they reached her apartment, Sebastian pinned her against the wall in the entrance, grinding his erection into her. She gasped and tried to reach for him but he caught her wrists and held them above her head, smiling down at her. Though his teeth were about to crack with the effort of not taking her right there. He had to reign in some control first.

‘What are you going to do to me?’ she asked.

Her eyes were huge, but they’d darkened and her face was almost pink with arousal, so he knew she wasn’t scared. She trusted him, and that knowledge made his chest swell and glow.
She
did that to him.

Kissing a line from her earlobe down to her chin, he shifted his grip so he held her in one hand then slid the other down the front of her jeans. She was more than ready for him. Her delicate flesh was burning and sliding his fingers inside was easy.

She gasped, then ground her hips. ‘This doesn’t feel like making me pay for teasing you.’

‘There are lots of ways to tease, Alicia. You’re about to find out which one I prefer.’ But even as he said the words, his erection pulsed.

She squirmed against him as he kept stroking where she needed him, then pulled away. He rubbed his thumb over the little nub until she was almost there, then plunged his fingers deep again.

She let out a frustrated sound and her brows furrowed. ‘This isn’t teasing. It’s torture.’

Sebastian built her up again, till she was almost at the edge. ‘Trust me, it feels that way now but it will be better.’

Her head shook from side to side, but not in disagreement. Her muscles were pulling him deeper and his erection was so hard and aching he wasn’t going to be able to keep this up much longer. Just as her body began to clench around him, he tugged his fingers out. She focused on him, her eyes wide and betrayed. His heart ached like it’d been sliced in two.

‘This time, I promise,’ he said.

He undid her jeans and pushed them to her knees. While she kicked them off, he freed himself from his trousers and lifted her. Kissing her hard, he wrapped her legs around his hips and pushed in all the way.

Alicia clung to his shoulders as he gave her what he’d denied, swivelling his hips and watching the sweat bead on her forehead, her upper lip. Her eyes glazed over, occasionally focusing on his, and the ache in his chest was barely overshadowed by the pleasure ripping through him.

She bit her lip just as her body started to convulse around him, and he couldn’t hold on. He thrust through her orgasm while she panted his name and his own release came so hard and fast he thought he might pass out from ecstasy.

He hugged her close, catching his breath with his face against her neck, revelling in the citrusy smell of her shampoo. A smell he was so used to going to sleep with and waking up to that he’d probably have to wash one of his pillows with a bottle of the stuff. His heart felt like it was being constricted, and he pushed the thought away.

‘That was … intense,’ Alicia said.

He pressed his lips against her neck, then worked his way up to her lips. Kissing her slowly, thoroughly, he carried her through to the bedroom and laid her down. After cleaning them up with a cloth, he stripped the rest of her clothes off.

Alicia’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Again?’

Shaking his head, he said, ‘This is for you.’

She was about to argue. After all, he’d already given her the most intense orgasm of her life, but his teeth did something wicked to her nipple and her protest was cut off with a moan.

He worshipped every part of her body with his tongue and lips, working her up to a carnal frenzy which shocked her a little after what had happened in the hall. She tried to think through the pleasure, but then he settled between her legs, pulled her calves over his shoulders, and kissed her
there
. Right where she needed him to. Alicia was lost.

Sebastian was merciless with his tongue, building her higher with lazy strokes, but it wasn’t like in the hall. She didn’t think he’d pull away now, and she had a feeling that was what this was about. He felt guilty but shouldn’t. If she’d trusted him and waited instead of letting the hurt break through her expression, he wouldn’t feel like he had to do this now.

Emotions punched her in the chest as he drove her higher, stilling her breath with their intensity. Love. There was no way to lie to herself anymore. She’d fallen for him, hard. More than she’d felt for Darrell, more than she’d felt for anyone.

She’d had the best day ever and it had all been because of him. The panic that should have come was cut off as he slipped his fingers inside her and every sensation doubled. The orgasm stirred beneath her skin, sweeping through her body like a spreading forest fire, just as intense as before, but hitting her in every erogenous zone she had.