Page 11

Chapter 11: Luke

T he door to Avery's bedroom clicked shut behind me, but the scene I’d just left burned into my mind like a brand.

Avery Blake, sprawled on her bed, flushed and breathless, completely undone.

The sound of her moans still echoed in my ears. She didn’t just push me to the edge—she shoved me clean off it.

My hands clenched at my sides as I stalked down the hall. I needed air, space, and something to keep me from turning around and finishing what she had just started. I couldn’t stop the flood of images that filled my head. Her parted lips, the way her back arched, the scream of my name as she fell apart under her own touch.

Fuck me.

I shoved open the door to my room, the force rattling the frame, and leaned against the wall, dragging a hand down my face. My chest heaved with the effort to rein myself in, to remind myself why this was a bad idea.

For the next three weeks she was still my client. My responsibility. The entire reason I was on the verge of solidifying my place as one of the top agents in the business. But fuck if she didn’t make me want to throw all of that away.

I closed my eyes, and let my imagination take over, filling in the gaps of what I wanted to do.

I pictured her on her knees before me, those bright green eyes wide as she looked up at me. My fingers tangling in her dark hair, guiding her, controlling her. The thought of her lips parting for me, of her willingly submitting to my every command, made my body tighten painfully.

I’d take my time with her. Make her beg for it. Make her realize there was no one else who could give her what she needed.

Her hands would rest on my thighs, soft and tentative at first, but I’d coax her into confidence, into boldness. She wasn’t the type to hold back, not really, not when I’d felt her passion that one unforgettable night in Miami.

I imagined the way her lips would feel, the heat of her breath, the exquisite friction that would drive me insane. I’d murmur instructions, telling her exactly what to do, how to please me. And she’d follow them. Not because she had to, but because she wanted to. Because she wanted me too.

The thought of her surrendering to me made my blood roar in my veins.

I cursed under my breath, pacing the length of my room like a caged animal. This was madness, pure and simple.

But the thing about madness? It was seductive.

I sank into the edge of my bed, scrubbing a hand through my hair. This wasn’t just lust. It was more than that. It was something raw and consuming that went beyond the physical. She didn’t just push my buttons; she ripped the whole damn control panel out.

And I wanted her to keep doing it.

I leaned back, my hands braced on the mattress, and let my mind drift further into forbidden territory.

I imagined pulling her into my room, her back pressing against the wall as I pinned her there, my hands framing her face. She’d try to fight me, but I’d break her resolve with a single kiss, deep and commanding, leaving her breathless and wanting.

I’d whisper filthy promises against her skin, my lips trailing down her neck, her collarbone, the curve of her shoulder. I’d feel her body tremble under my touch, her nails digging into my back as she surrendered completely.

The idea of her submission wasn’t about power. It was about trust. It was about her giving me every part of herself, knowing I’d never let her fall.

And when she begged for more, I’d give it to her.

My hand clenched into a fist, and I forced myself to stop. This wasn’t helping. If anything, it was making things worse.

I stood abruptly, moving to the window. The cool glass against my palm grounded me, a sharp contrast to the heat still coursing through my body.

I needed to focus. To remember why I was here. Avery’s career depended on me keeping my shit together. Her comeback wasn’t just about her. It was about everything I’d worked for, everything I wanted to prove.

Damn it though, she made me want to throw all the rules out the window.

I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly.

Five weeks in, and I was already teetering on the edge. Another three weeks of this, and I wasn’t sure I’d survive. One thing was certain: when this was over, when we’d both gotten what we wanted from this arrangement, I wasn’t letting her walk away again.

No. Avery Blake was mine.

She just didn’t know it yet.