Tempting Rowan (Trace + Olivia #3) (20 page)

“Trust me, Row, I don’t think you could ever do anything wrong.”

I hated it when he said things like that. Trenton put me up on a pedestal like I was this great person who never did anything wrong. He had no idea just how mistaken he was.

I eyed his thick length, carefully hidden behind his black boxer briefs and swallowed thickly. I could do this. I
wanted
to do this.

I pulled the fabric down and gasped as he sprang free. I had never been this close before, and he was just as beautiful here as he was everywhere else.

I took him in my hand, stroking slowly.

“Fuck, Row,” he groaned, throwing his head back, “you don’t have to do anything but that and I’ll be a happy man.”

“I doubt that,” I smiled, then took him into my mouth.

I felt uncomfortable at first with my lack of knowledge in situations like this. I swirled my tongue around the tip and then took him deeper into my mouth. He let out a growl, his fingers winding into my hair as he held it away from my face. I felt his eyes on me and it spurned me on.

“You have no idea how fucking hot you look right now,” he murmured.

My eyes flicked up to look at him watching me.

“It feels so good,” he whispered, his eyes briefly closing as he swallowed thickly.

It pleased me that I seemed to be doing it right.

I stroked him and he threw his head back. “If you keep doing that with your hand and your mouth, I’m not going to last long, and I really want to come inside you.”

I pulled away and climbed onto the bed. I lay down, my hair spreading around me.

“Then do it,” I repeated my words from earlier.

His eyes roamed over my body
like he was memorizing what I looked like.

“With pleasure,” he grinned crookedly with a fire lighting his eyes.

He grabbed a condom, rolled it on, then grabbed my hips again. He pulled me until my bottom was hanging off the bed and he was holding onto me.

“You’re not coming up here?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“No, I think I’ll stay right here,” he winked.

He thrust inside me and I gasped as he filled me.

He slid out and back in quickly.

Now I understood why he was standing.

He rolled his hips against mine and I bit down on my lip to stifle the cry that threatened to escape me.

“Harder,” I pleaded.

“You want it rough?” One brow rose in disbelief.

I nodded, trying not to whimper.

“Well, then…”

I couldn’t quiet my cries after that.

His thrusts were quick and powerful, shaking the bed. The veins in his arms stood out and his fingers dug into my skin.

“Trent!” I screamed his name as I came. I’m pretty sure I screamed some other things too, and maybe even in another language, because nothing I said made sense to my own ears.

Trent growled and I felt him twitch inside me with his release.

He collapsed on top of me, careful to hold his weight off of me. He pressed sweet kisses to my face, neck, and across the tops of my breasts. “That was fucking incredible,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face into the curve of my neck.

I nodded in agreement. I had no words.

“I promise I didn’t bring you here for sex,” he continued, “but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was worth it.” He chuckled, kissing the corner of my mouth. “Rowan?” He paused. “Are you okay?”

I nodded.

“Can you…speak?”

I nodded.

“Rowan?”

“Give me a minute,” I finally managed to force words from my lips.

He laughed. “Was it that good?”

Good was the understatement of the century. That had been…mind-blowing.

“Can we do it again?” I asked, turning my head to look at him. I was breathing heavily and my body was covered in sweat, but I didn’t care.

He laughed. “We most certainly can. Just give me another five minutes.”

“You don’t need longer?” I questioned.

He laughed. “With you? No. Trust me, it won’t be long until I’m ready again,” he wiggled his hips and I gasped, realizing he was still inside me. “Especially if I don’t move.”

I wrapped my hands around his neck, lacing my fingers together. “Don’t move, then.”

“Trust me, if you told me I never had to, I wouldn’t,” he said seriously, brushing my hair away from my eyes. “I want nothing more than to stay here with you forever.”

“And by here, you mean inside me?” I joked.

He laughed heartily.
“I wouldn’t complain about that.”

I glanced down at our joined bodies. “I think you’re ready,” I whispered.

“How about that?” He chuckled. “I told you it wouldn’t take long. Now, lie back and let me love you.”

And he did.

Again.

And again.

And again.

c
hapter thirteen

My whole body was sore, but in the best way possible.

I stretched my toes, pointing them down, then raised my arms above my head. Sunlight streamed into the bedroom from the floor to ceiling windows. Last night I’d been occupied by more important things and hadn’t noticed any details about the room.

It was painted a medium gray color and all the furniture was black. The bedding was white and fluffy. It was so soft that I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about returning to my own sheets.

“That makes your breasts look more amazing than usual.”

I startled, lowering my arms, as I looked over to see Trent standing in the doorway. A pair of navy sweatpants hung loosely off his lean hips and his hair stuck up wildly around his head from sex and sleep. He held two cups of coffee in his hands.

He padded across the room and climbed into the high bed. “Here,” he handed me the coffee.

I took a sip, unable to contain my moan. “This is delicious.”

“It’s caramel,” he winked.

He leaned back against the mountain of pillows, looking out the windows. His gaze was thoughtful and I knew he was contemplating something.

“Whatever it is, just spit it out,” I told him.

He laughed, ducking his head. “Am I that predictable?” He smiled and his dimple showed.

“I know you,” I shrugged. “You don’t have to be predictable for me to pick up on your body language. Now, out with it.” I blew on the hot coffee, eyeing him over the rim.

“Can I take your picture?” He asked.

I laughed. “Trenton, I’m pretty sure you’ve already taken my picture plenty of times.”

“No, not like this,” he shook his head, his dark hair falling into his eyes.

“Not like what…?”

“You, naked, in my bed,” he bit his lip. “And then I want to take your picture while I make love to you.”

I shivered at his tone.

“You can say no, if you don’t want me to,” he assured me, “but I’d really like to.”

“I…” I drew my knees up to my chest, contemplating. Finally, I met his unwavering gaze. “Okay.”

“Okay?” He repeated, smiling slowly like he was afraid at any second I’d scream that I was only kidding.

I nodded. “It’s okay with me.”

He set his coffee cup on the table and then reached for mine. “You want to start now?” I asked, reluctantly handing over the cup.

He nodded with a small grin. “I thought I better get started before you change your mind.”

“I won’t.”

“I don’t care,” he laughed, picking up his camera. I realized that our suitcases were now in the bedroom. Someone must have dropped them off last night and he’d brought them in this morning.

He aimed the camera and started taking pictures.

“Lay down,” he said huskily.

I did as he asked.

Before taking another picture, he reached down and spread my hair around, then lifted one of my arms above my head. “Don’t move,” he warned me like one would a child.

My heart was beating so fast in my chest that I was sure he could see its thumps.

“These are beautiful,” he whispered, looking down at the screen of his camera.

He posed me in a different position and snapped my picture again. He continued that way for a good thirty minutes.

“Now,” he lowered, taking my bottom lip between his teeth and then releasing it, “I’m going to make love to you.”

He
held tight to the camera and kicked off his sweatpants. He was hard and completely ready for me. He slid a condom on and climbed on the bed. His fingers found me and when he felt that I was wet, he grinned. “I’m glad that turned you on as much as it did me.”

“How could it not?” I breathed.

“Good point.” He kissed me, as he took ahold of his length and slowly slid it inside me just a bit. I squirmed, letting out a small shriek from the soreness left over from yesterday. “Are you okay?” His brow creased with worry. “Do I need to stop? You know I will,” he assured me.

“Just go slow,” I warned him. “I-I’m sore down there.”

“Trust me,” he kissed me deeply, making my head spin, “this is going to be slow, and you’re going to love every second of it.”

My heart sped up even further at his promising tone.

He inched inside me ever so slowly, and when he was all the way in he stopped, taking a picture. I’d completely forgotten about the camera, but seeing it in his hand as he was braced above me made me excited.

“You can move,” I whispered.

“Not yet.” He took another picture.

He slowly inched back out, taking my picture again as my mouth fell open in an O.

He rocked his hips in and out at a leisurely pace that somehow managed to drive me crazier than what we’d done last night. I also found that there was something extremely erotic about having him above me, taking my picture as he made love to me. I couldn’t hide my emotions. They were plain for him and the camera to see. I was baring my soul to him, and I hoped he knew that, and understood the gift I was giving him. I was letting him
see
me.

Sweat dampened my body as I edged closer and closer to that cliff I was desperate to fall off of.

“Come for me,” he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. “Let me see you.”

He drove into me with shallow thrusts and I clawed at the blankets as I felt my orgasm begin to take over. All the while, he took my picture.

“God, you’re so fucking beautiful and you don’t even know it,” he growled.

I wished I believed him. I had never been a pe
rson concerned about my outward appearance, but I knew on the inside that I was ugly…scarred…disfigured. I was diseased. Poison, known as lies, ran through my veins, suffocating me.

“Rowan?” He questioned, noticing the look of disgust on my face. “What’s wrong?” His movements stilled as he gazed down at me questioningly. “What did I do? What’d I say?”

“It’s nothing,” my voice cracked.

“Row,” he cupped my cheek in his hand. “Did I hurt you? Is it the pictures? You have to tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it.” His eyes pleaded with me to speak, to tell him what was going on in my head, but it was so hard.

“You didn’t hurt me,” I assured him. “But I’m not beautiful, Trent.”

“Yes, you are
,” he said sternly.

I shook my head. “I’m not talking about what I look like,” I spoke fiercely. “I’m talking about what’s in
here
,” I placed a hand over my heart. “If you knew who I was, what I had
done
,” I croaked, “you’d know I wasn’t beautiful.”

“Don’t say such horrible things about yourself,” he whispered, tracing his fingers over his lips. “I don’t know who has planted these lies in your head,” he tapped my forehead, “but they’re wrong.”

“No one had to tell me anything,” I whispered with a frown. “I can see my own darkness.”

“Row…”

I knew he didn’t know what to say to me, and that was perfectly okay. I didn’t need to hear him try to convince me that I was
good
. He didn’t know what I had done, so in his eyes I was good. Eventually, I’d have to tell him—he deserved to know—and then he’d see how bad I was. I couldn’t hide the evil residing in my heart forever.

I pushed his shoulders, rolling him onto his back, so that I was on top.

“Take your pictures.” I took his chin in my hands, pressing my lips to his, sealing us together.

Because soon, those pictures will be all you’ll have left of me.



“And this is Times Square,” Trenton said, like as if I hadn’t already figured that out. I twirled around, my jaw hanging open in awe.

The lights, the sounds, the people…none of it was like home. It was easy for me to believe that Trent and I were in a whole new world. One where only the two of us existed.

Somebody bumped into me, propelling me into Trent. He wrapped his arms around me to keep me from falling on the sidewalk.

“Well, that was rude,” I glared at the retreating back of the man that had pushed me.

“That’s New York City,” Trent laughed. “Get used to it.”

He didn’t release me, if anything he tightened his hold. The air was cold and there was a slight wind. I was thankful for my heavy black coat, yellow scarf, and hat. Trent was dressed similarly, only his scarf and hat were red.

“Let’s get a picture,” he pleaded with me.

At this point, I was used to Trenton and his pictures, so I obliged.

He positioned me in front of the jumbotron and stood beside me. He held his arm out with the camera. “Smile,” he warned me.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave the camera the biggest, cheesiest smile I could muster. Then I kissed his cheek. In the last photo he took, he kissed me squarely on the mouth, his tongue finding its way past my lips. I took his face in my hands, the scruff on his cheeks rubbing against the soft cotton of my mittens. He nipped my bottom lip and I couldn’t help but giggle.

He kissed the end of my nose, his breathing unsteady. “I know I wanted to show you the city, but I’m beginning to think leaving the penthouse was a really bad idea.”

“How about this,” I grasped the collar of his coat, “take me to see the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, then we can go back there and take a really long shower…together.”

“That’s a really good idea,” he grinned. “I wish I would’ve thought of it.”

“Come on,” I took his hand. “The sooner we get a taxi, the sooner we see the tree, and the sooner we see the tree…” I trailed off, letting him finish my thought.

“The sooner I can have you wet and pinned against the shower wall,” he winked. “I do love showers.”

“And cameras,” I muttered.

He laughed. “Pictures are worth a thousand words, but those…something tells me they’re worth a million.”

A taxi finally stopped and I slid inside. Trent told the man where we wanted to go and I stifled my cough. The taxi reeked of cigarette smoke.

I crinkled my nose in displeasure at the nasty smell. I’d never understood the appeal to smoking. I mean, who wants to suck on a death stick? Obviously our cab driver.

He dropped us off and Trent handed him cash. “Thanks,” Trent called and the cabby simply grunted in response.

“Such a lovely fellow,” I joked. “I think he wants to be your new best friend.”

Trent’s arm wound around my waist. “Hardly.”

The crowd around the tree was thick, but not as bad as Times Square had been. I didn’t think we’d be able to get very close to the tree, but I was okay with that. It was lit up with multi colored lights and the ornaments were huge. I wondered just how tall the thing was. I had to crane my neck back to see the top of it.

“Excuse me,” Trent said, stopping a man passing by. “Would you mind getting a picture of me and my girlfriend?”

My heart stilled.

Girlfriend.

Trent had called me his girlfriend.

We had never defined what we were, but obviously Trent had his own idea, and I liked the sound of him calling me his ‘girlfriend’ a bit too much. I should’ve told him I wasn’t okay with him calling me that, but it would’ve been a lie. I did want to be his girlfriend. In fact, I wanted to be even more than that. But I knew it would never last, so I didn’t see the point in defining what we were to each other.

The guy seemed pissed that Trent had stopped him, but agreed. Trent handed him the camera and brought me close against his side.

The guy held the camera up and I smiled.

“Thanks,” Trent nodded, taking the camera from him.

Without a word the man left.

“Can I see it?” I asked, pointing at the camera.

Trent nodded, handing it over.

On the screen was the picture with
the tree sparkling behind us. I smiled at the camera, but Trent was smiling down at me like…like I was his whole world. It was a beautiful picture, one that I wished I could imprint in my mind so I could look back on it years from now and remember how he’d felt.

I handed the camera back, swallowing down the sudden lump that had taken up residence in my throat.

“Are you ready to go?” Trent asked. “Or do you want to stay a little while longer?”

We’d already been gone from the penthouse for a while, I was chilled, and while the tree w
as pretty I didn’t see the sense in staring at it any longer.

“I’m ready to head back,” I answered, wiggling my chilled fingers. The black mittens did little to warm them, so I shoved them in the depths of my coat’s pockets.

Trent hailed cab and we headed back to the penthouse. He dropped us off at the front of the building and we entered that way. I hadn’t seen the lobby area yet, and I was stunned. Everything was so shiny and expensive looking. I didn’t want to know how much their penthouse must cost.

“You’ve got a little drool there,” Trent joked, wiping my lip for
affect.