Page 88 of Braving the Storm

My shoulders collide with the tiled wall.

“You know I’m sorry for what happened. She meant nothing. I’ve apologized all the ways I know how…” Antoine’s pathetic attempt at fixing this rings in the air.

Storm’s eyes flash, thunderous and deadly. The blue I’ve become so enamored with turns an electric shade as he steps into me and captures every last molecule of air surrounding us.

He’s so broad, all I see is his chest, his tattoos, with the scent of him wrapping a hold on me that somehow eases this insanity and yet simultaneously makes it impossible to think straight when he’s looming tall and muscled like this.

“It doesn’t matter.” Do I sound shaky? Do I sound like I’m crawling out of my skin worrying about what this man is going to think, how he’s going to react to what he can hear coming through the speaker of my phone?

“Briar, you know it does. This can’t continue, I need you to come home so we can work on this together, so we can...”

As Antoine launches into a lengthy explanation of all the ways I supposedly need to forgive him, that’s when I feel it. Storm hooks a finger beneath the long sleeve of my dress, on the wrist of the hand holding my phone to my ear, and he tugs the fabric, peeling it back ever so slightly.

Revealing his cuff.

It’s there, just as he knew it would be, securely fastened beneath the soft stretch cotton of my dress, and as he looks between the band of leather and my face, I see the wheels turn rapidly in his mind.

My lips drop open with a silent gasp.

He sinks to his knees in front of me.

Antoine carries on, barely stopping for breath, detailing a lengthy list of reasons why I need to come back home. All while Storm rucks my dress up to my waist, sending goosebumps flying everywhere.

I don’t try to stop him.

Maybe this will be the last time we ever get to have something like this together, maybe after hearing this phone call, he’ll end whatever this insane dance we’re doing together.

So I’m going to let him do whatever he wants to me right here, while pushed up against this wall, as my shitty ex pleads and tries to make a case for me to fly back to LA.

“... come home. I’ll send you the jet. Just tell me where and I’ll have the pilot and crew ready and waiting for you in the morning.”

Storm runs his tongue up the inside of my thigh, tracing the spot where his hand had been only moments before, as he wedges himself between my legs. Hooking a knee over his shoulder, the act forces me to brace myself with one hand sinking into his hair.

His eyes flash, as if he’s pleased by that.

“Briar?”

“I’m not coming back.” In amongst the hypnotic sight of the man I’ve fallen so hard and so fast for currently on his knees for me, I remember to say something in reply. Does he have any idea how much I don’t ever want to leave? Now that I’m here, I’ve found so much more than I could ever have hoped for in this tiny dot on the map.

“At least let me come and see you.”

Those words set something ablaze. Within an instant, the air sharpens. Storm narrows his eyes and turns into a man possessed. Whereas a second ago, he was slowly roaming his tongue higher while teasing me, now he launches forward.

A finger hooks under the damp strip of fabric with no doubt a giant wet spot covering my pussy, expertly towing it to one side before he covers me with his mouth.

“No.” I gasp. Trying to prevent a series of moans from burstingforth as the man who knows how to work me hard and fast sets about swirling his tongue over my clit with wicked skill. My fingers yank on his hair in an effort to remain upright.

“I know you’re still in the country.” Antoine starts to sound pissy now. “Which means I can be there overnight. All you have to do is tell me where to collect you from.”

I suck in a breath.

“Are you screwing someone else?” He spits at me down the phone.

Looking down at the man between my legs, commanding my body, I don’t know what to say. My pulse thuds an insane rhythm in my neck, and I feel like I’m floating out of my head.

“I’m not telling you anything,” I say.

Those startling blue eyes lock me in, glittering with triumph.