The Risqué Contracts Series (3 page)

I
’d had more orgasms over the last four weeks than I’d ever had in my life—and not a single one was between bed sheets, self-induced, or even shared with a naked man. Ever since Caleb made me come after that first morning meeting, he’d been relentless in his pursuit of me. He took advantage of every opportunity to touch me, and he made sure he had plenty of them. It was impossible to avoid him, not when I was forced to spend so much time with him each day. I didn’t know why he bothered giving me my own office since he rarely let me spend any time in it by myself. He’d managed to monopolize all my waking hours, firmly wedging himself into my life.

The worst thing was how my body was betraying me. I couldn’t even escape him when I was asleep. I dreamed of him every night—dirty erotic dreams where I imagined what it would be like to have him take me in countless ways. Night after night, I woke with my hand down my panties and my heart racing. But no matter how hard I tried, I never managed to find release at my own hand. It was like he’d trained my pussy to respond to his touch only.

I wouldn’t put it past him to find a way, not with how territorial he acted anytime another man paid the slightest attention to me. It was the strangest thing since Caleb wasn’t known for being jealous. In fact, many of his former women had tried to trap him into wanting more by flaunting other men in his face and he hadn’t responded in any way. He couldn’t have cared less and it showed. His possessiveness with me was the opposite of how he’d treated any other woman, and it was starting to get to me. It was becoming difficult not to consider the possibility of him wanting more from me than a fling of some kind.

There I was with a rare half hour alone in my office, and I was wasting it mooning over him. The ringing of my phone was a welcome distraction and I hastily reached for it to answer the call. “Madeleine Connelly speaking.”

“What’s this I’ve heard about you and Caleb Sterling, Maddiekins? Have you fallen prey to a notorious playboy?”

The teasing voice belonged to none other than Brysen Mariano, the boy next door who’d been my closest friend growing up. Besides my mother, he was the only person alive who ever dared to use her childhood nickname for me. “You’re one to talk.”

“Exactly my point! If you wanted a playboy in your life, you should have called me.”

“Ewww. Now you’re just being disgusting.” The very thought of doing anything remotely sexual with him made me want to vomit. Brysen was the closest thing I had to family besides my parents. He was the brother I’d always wanted.

“Have I ruined your appetite, then? Because I was thinking we could meet for lunch.”

A quick glance at my schedule confirmed what I already knew to be true. I was booked for a lunch meeting with Caleb, just like I was every day for the last month. Today he was going to have to fend for himself, though. I needed to get away from him, if only for a little while. Maybe lunch with Brysen would help me build my shields back up again.

“You’re buying and I’m ordering the most expensive item on the menu as payback for using that wretched nickname.”

The sound of his laughter in my ear was soothing. “Like I’d ever let you pick up the tab anyway. And since I knew how much it would irritate you when I said it, I’ll take you to your favorite restaurant to make it up to you.”

“You have a deal,” I agreed. “As long as you can meet me in fifteen minutes.”

“I’ll be there,” he replied before hanging up.

Tossing my cell into my purse, I rushed out the door of my office and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Caleb’s door was still shut. I approached his assistant’s desk and cringed at the scathing look Julie gave me. She had taken an instant dislike to me, one I knew was based on her less than a professional interest in her boss.

“When Caleb is done with his meeting, please let him know something’s come up and I’m unavailable for lunch today.”

Her expression brightened, most likely because she figured this information was going to piss Caleb off. She delighted in causing friction between us whenever she could. I didn’t bother waiting for her response. Every additional minute I was in the office, I risked the chance of Caleb opening that door. I’d never make it out of here if he knew I was trying to leave for lunch.

By the time I arrived at the restaurant, Brysen was waiting for me. At six-foot-three and all solid muscle, he was impossible to miss. Even though his inky black hair was covered by a hat with his football team’s logo on it and his chocolate brown eyes were hidden by sunglasses, his disguise didn’t fool me. I’d recognize him anywhere.

The hostess looked crestfallen when he turned to greet me, sweeping me into a big hug and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m glad you could make it.”

“It’s good to see you, Bry.” I really meant it, too. More than half a year had passed since we’d last seen each other. We’d talked on the phone several times, but he’d been in the middle of a season with his team on another coast and I’d been busy trying to save my family’s company.

The hostess led us to a secluded table in the back corner of the restaurant and I giggled at the glare she sent my way before leaving us.

“I think you have an admirer,” I teased.

“She’s harmless, but from what I’ve heard, the same can’t be said for your not-so-secret admirer.”

The concern in his voice had me struggling for the right words to explain my situation with Caleb, but I couldn’t come up with anything that wouldn’t also require me to convince Brysen not to go after Caleb. “It’s complicated.”

“That’s a bullshit response,” he hissed as the waiter approached to take our drink orders.

“I’d like to order our lunches now,” I requested before he could walk away. Brysen and I had been here together many times before, and we always ordered the same things. My delaying tactic didn’t take long and before I was ready, the waiter was gone, leaving us alone once more.

“Seriously, Maddie. What the hell is going on with you and Caleb Sterling?”

“A better question would be what the hell business is it of yours and why the fuck is my woman having lunch in a secluded booth with you when she’s supposed to be with me?” The question was growled by a deep voice I’d come to know well over the last month. Caleb was here. He’d hunted me down and was now forcing his way into the booth next to me, his arm flung over my shoulder as he signaled the waiter over again. “There will be three for lunch. Add another place setting. Now.”

The waiter ran to do his bidding.

“Brysen Mariano,” my closest friend said as he leaned forward, extending his hand to Caleb.

“I know,” he replied darkly, shaking his hand. “Caleb Sterling.”

“So I assumed.” Brysen’s gaze was considering as he looked at the two of us sitting side by side.

“How do you know
my
Madeleine?” The possessiveness in Caleb’s tone was blatant.

“Maddie and I grew up together.”

Caleb’s attention moved from Brysen to me. “You ditched our lunch plans to meet an ex-boyfriend?”

“Not an ex-anything. Brysen is one of my oldest and closest friends,” I said, not liking the accusing look in his eyes.

I felt the muscles in his arm relax as he took a deep breath. “You should have told me you needed to see a friend for lunch today. I would have understood.”

“Would you really?” I questioned softly.

“I’m sorry for all the fuss, but it turns out, it will be two for lunch,” Brysen apologized when the waiter returned again.

“You’re leaving?” I gasped, stunned that he was abandoning me with Caleb.

“I am,” he confirmed. “You two obviously have a lot to discuss, and I was operating under some wrong information. I’ve already learned what I needed to know just by seeing the two of you together.”

“Wrong information?” I repeated, but it didn’t do any good. Brysen was already on his feet, ready to leave me alone with Caleb at a romantic table for two.

“I don’t need to worry about having to kick Caleb’s ass for hurting you like all the gossip is saying will happen because he’s not going to do that. Right, Caleb?”

“If I do, you have my permission to kick my ass. It will be the least I deserve.” Caleb’s response, on the heels of this strange turn of events, left me stunned. He’d turned my life upside down and I didn’t even know which way was up anymore.

I
glared at Madeleine and crowded her into the corner of the booth. She shrank back, then seemed to recognize her retreat and sat forward, her face inches from mine. Damn, I loved her feistiness. I figured all that fire would be explosive in bed. I felt myself thickening, growing from the semi-erect hard-on I was always sporting around her to a fucking rod of steel between my legs.

I’d done my best to be patient, to woo her, albeit aggressively, and I was done with that shit. If I didn’t fuck her soon, I was going to lose my mind. I needed to bind her to me, and I would do whatever it took to make that happen.

I’d been picturing our life together for almost a year—the house, kids, even the fucking dog. I had never intended to wait long before working toward that goal. In fact, I’d made sure the investigator had been thorough, so I knew she had a birth control capsule in her arm. I’d checked her calendar, and, as luck would have it, she’d been due to have it replaced shortly after we started working together. I may have been a little underhanded and rescheduled her appointment out three months. She apparently didn’t notice the date had been changed, utterly dependent on her calendar to remind her of the appointment.

I had intended to use condoms and wait until she had accepted our relationship before making every effort to get her pregnant, but now, I was considering getting a jump-start on the future I wanted for us.

“
Your
woman? What the hell, Caleb?” Madeleine’s attempt at indignation was adorable.

“Yes, baby. My woman,” I clarified. “And, my woman doesn’t spend time alone with another man, friend or otherwise. Got it?”

She started to sputter, but I gripped her arms and pulled her forward to give her a hard kiss. A throat cleared behind us and I released her lips, looking to see the waiter had arrived with the meals Madeleine and Brysen had ordered. After he had left, I motioned for her to eat and continued speaking, avoiding any arguments.

“I received a call from my office in Paris this morning,” I lied. “We need to take a last minute trip out there to deal with a few problems that have arisen.”

I was going to take my girl to Europe, fuck her relentlessly, and fill her with every drop of come I had, until she was good and pregnant.

“I can’t simply drop everything and go to Paris!” Madeleine insisted.

“We’ll leave straight from here,” I continued, ignoring her protest.

***

W
e’d been in the air for an hour and I’d allowed Madeleine to sulk for those sixty minutes. When we’d first boarded my private jet, she couldn’t contain her wonder and excitement at the opulent atmosphere. Once seated, she masked her delight behind a severe frown and studiously ignored me.

For the most part, I let her indulge in her temper, but that didn’t stop me from constantly reminding her of my presence. Over the last month, I had come to know Madeleine’s body, though not as well as I would have liked, and I was about to rectify that situation.

She was particularly sensitive on the soft skin of her inner thigh, close to the underside of her knee. I kept my hand resting firmly on top of her leg, but at an angle where my fingers could graze that area. Little goose bumps followed my touch and my impatience grew until I finally had enough. My hand traveled up her thigh and when it breached the hem, her head whipped around. It was easy to see her mind wanted to protest, but her body reacted to me like always. Her breathing escalated and I knew she was already wet.

My fingers reached her panties and brushed over the soaked fabric. I couldn’t wait to sink my cock into the tight, silky heat I’d only felt with my fingers. For the moment, I’d settle for tasting her sweet pussy. I buried my hand in her caramel tresses, palming her neck and applying pressure to bring her lips to mine. The contact elicited a moan from both of us as electricity sparked between us and started to burn.

Her mouth slightly parted, she breathed out a sound of passion. I took full advantage, licking her lips and plunging my tongue inside. She melted, but the armrest between our seats kept her from molding her body to mine.
Unacceptable.

I removed our seatbelts and lifted the barrier without breaking our kiss. With the obstruction gone, her arms went around my shoulders and I felt her hardened nipples as she pressed her chest against mine. It still wasn’t enough. Grasping her hips with both hands, I lifted, intent on moving her onto my lap. Her leg immediately swung out, settling on my other side until she was straddling me. Our groins met and even through our layers of clothes, I could feel how wet she was.

Fuck
, I needed to taste her. With my hand now on her perfect ass, I held her tight and shoved to my feet, moving toward the back of the plane. Her legs encircled my waist, keeping the connection at our center. My mouth descended, gliding along her jaw and down her neck. Licking and sucking, leaving little love bites, marking her.

“Caleb,” she breathed, her voice full of yearning. I vaguely worried my cock was going to tear through my pants, desperate to be inside her. Honestly, I couldn’t blame the poor bastard. Reaching my destination, I pivoted and backed through the door, utterly relieved to lower us onto the big bed a few steps from the entrance.

Settling snugly between her thighs, I intended to explore every inch of her body. I returned to her mouth while my fingers deftly undid the buttons of her pink jacket. She wore these sexy little suits every day and they plagued me with thoughts of what was underneath.

When the last button was released, I lifted back a little and groaned at the sight of a sheer, white camisole. I could see right through it, her magnificent tits practically overflowing from her white, lacey bra.