Page 14 of The Wrong Bond (Wolf Billionaire #4)

CHAPTER 14

ARLENE

T he next couple of days after my drunken encounter with Shawn were so much better than I’d expected. I’d narrated night’s events word for word to Leah, who’d listened with wide eyes.

He was such a gentleman, rushing over to the bar and taking me back home safely. And somehow, that act almost totally absolved him of how his parents made me feel, and it reinforced the thought that Shawn wasn’t as monstrous as the other uptown wolves.

He was a caring person, and I was the one who wanted it to be more than just caring so badly.

I let him know I was taking a weekend off because I was overworking myself, and then I woke up to an email about a weekend vacation at a resort uptown.

Thought you could use a break from the chaos of the bar. Pack your hiking boots and a nice dinner dress. You’re about to have a fantastic weekend.

Shawn

Attached to the email was a link that led to a breathtaking website for the resort. It was at the far end of uptown, surrounded by hills and mountains: the perfect place to escape civilization and have a few days of peace.

Safe to say, I wasn’t able to focus on work all week. My mind kept drifting to the amazing time I would have with Shawn at the resort, and everything that could possibly happen.

That Friday morning was a blur of activity. Leah had helped me pick out every single outfit because, for some reason, she didn’t trust my style. By 11am, Shawn’s sleek black car pulled up to my apartment, his chauffeur, James, ready to pick me up.

He greeted me with his kind face and crisp suit, and he helped me put my suitcase in the trunk. I sank into the seat as he whisked me away toward the resort. My eyes took in the gorgeous sight of the roads as we drove farther and farther into the countryside.

I rolled down the window, letting the cool breeze caress my face. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply, the air carrying the sweet scent of pine trees and wildflowers.

This was the life I knew I didn’t deserve, and I could tell that it could disappear at any time, so I was making it my life’s mission to bask in it as much as I could.

We got to the resort quicker than I’d expected, and James dragged my suitcase to the villa Shawn and I would be staying in. He pushed open the door and I gasped as I walked into the gorgeous room lined with floor-to-ceiling windows.

It looked like something out of a magazine, which was becoming a pattern for every place I’d been with Shawn. His life was so luxurious that I always felt like I didn’t belong.

I walked around the room for a bit, taking in the amazing furniture and high-end art pieces. I tried to do an estimate of how much it would cost to spend a night here, but the figures only made my head hurt.

“You’re here.” A shirtless Shawn emerged from one of the many rooms.

I gasped, pressing my hand to my chest. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

Shawn chuckled, grabbing a towel and rubbing at his wet hair.

Heat flooded my cheeks, not just from the afternoon sun, but from the fact that he was just casually standing half-naked in front of me.

My eyes quickly trailed to his abs, where I watched a single bead of water trickle down the sharp line of his abdomen and disappear into the waistband of his hiking shorts. Shamelessly, my stomach did a little flip-flop. I quickly tore my gaze away, my cheeks heating up.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he chuckled.

I rolled my eyes. “Well, you did.”

“Get dressed. We’re going hiking soon,” Shawn called, and disappeared into one of the rooms.

I scrunched up my face. “Hiking isn’t the most calming activity. I thought this trip was for relaxation.”

“It is, and I promise you’re going to feel much better when we’re done.”

I didn’t believe him, but I had no other choice. If hiking was the price I had to pay for this absolute dream vacation, then so be it.

I found my own room, which was boldly labeled with my name on the door, and walked inside. I took off my clothes and got into a pair of dark blue leggings and a matching sports bra, throwing a flannel shirt on top to tie the look together.

I slipped on socks and hiking boots, and then I was ready to hit the trail.

I left my room to see Shawn ready and waiting for me.

“When I faint from heatstroke and being inactive for over a year, all the blame goes to you,” I said stubbornly.

“Oh, I have no doubt you can handle the hike, love.” He chuckled. “But can you handle me being unable to keep my eyes off you in those leggings?”

Heat pooled in my cheeks and my ears felt hot.

I cleared my throat, the sound embarrassingly high-pitched. “You wish,” I said, rolling my eyes and hoping that would distract him from how embarrassed I felt.

He laughed. “Okay, okay. Let’s get ready for the hike.”

I grabbed my fanny pack, strapped it on my waist, and checked to make sure my sunscreen was inside. I turned around to Shawn and caught him watching me, his eyes on me for a little too long.

Was he ever going to explain what all these stares meant? Or was I reading too much into it?

The hike felt longer than I had expected, and at numerous points during the walk, I just wanted to sink onto the rocky path and not stand up again.

The entire hike was practically a mockery of how inactive I’d been over the years, and I could tell I needed to get back in shape as quickly as possible. We walked down the winding path, which was gorgeous in the hot afternoon sun.

The weather was acting a bit bipolar and sometimes, the sun disappeared behind the clouds for a bit before it came back up again.

“Shouldn’t we head back now?” I panted. “I think a storm is coming.”

Shawn gave me a knowing look, which made me almost burst out laughing. “Are you saying that because you don’t want to complete the hike?”

Partially, but I also genuinely wanted to avoid getting drenched by the rain.

“Of course not.” Pant. “I just…” Pant. “I just think we’ve done enough for today.” Pant.

“I could carry you,” Shawn offered.

“No!”

I quickly recalled how he’d carried me that night while I was drunk. It was only making me more and more attached to him, and I didn’t want to play into that any longer.

The more physical, intimate moments we had together, the harder it would be to cut this off.

“Alright then, let’s make a deal. When we get to the top of this hill, we’ll call James to drive us back to the resort.”

I raised an eyebrow skeptically. “So we don’t have to walk all the way back?”

“Yeah. We just have to reach the top,” he said.

“Okay, then. I think I can do this.”

We both continued walking and I followed close behind Shawn, my gaze locked on the way his broad shoulders stretched the fabric of his T-shirt as he walked.

We stopped by a large clearing that was filled with wildflowers. Even the weeds were gorgeous. It was the perfect scene to take in after walking for what felt like an eternity.

I leaned against a tree trunk, catching my breath as Shawn and I both took in the scene.

“It’s beautiful. Wow,” I said finally, my voice soft.

Shawn turned to me. “It is,” he agreed.

Just then, a loud thunderclap sounded from afar, capturing our attention as the sun disappeared behind the clouds and the sky opened up, letting out fat raindrops.

“I told you a storm was coming,” I said to Shawn as he grabbed my hand and led me down the path to find shelter.

“This is not the time for ‘I told you so,’” he called back.

“Are you sure? Because I remember very distinctly telling you so.”

We broke out into a brisk jog, laughing and dodging quickly-forming puddles as we looked for cover. The path ahead of us seemed to stretch on forever, and there was nowhere we could shield ourselves from the pouring rain.

“I can’t keep running anymore,” I panted, my lungs beginning to burn with exertion.

Shawn blinked as the rain swept down on his face. “I don’t think we can find cover on the path. We should look for a nearby tree.”

After running for a couple of minutes, we found a tall oak with big leaves that provided shelter from the heavy rainfall. I huddled close to Shawn, trying to get a bit of his body heat because I was practically freezing to death.

“I’ll text James to bring the car over,” Shawn said, trying to reassure me.

I nodded, thankful that we had an option to get out of this rain.

“Fuck,” Shawn cursed under his breath as he frowned at his phone.

“What is it?”

He raised his cell phone toward the sky. “There’s no service. I guess the heavy storm must have cut off the connection, since we’re practically in the middle of nowhere.”

I shivered at the news. “So what you’re saying is that we’re stuck.”

He exhaled. “Basically.”

“This is exactly how horror movies start. I’m so not ready to die.”

Shawn chuckled. “You’re safe with me. You have nothing to worry about.”

His words did make me feel a bit better as I visibly relaxed, although I was still shivering.

I wrapped my arms around myself. “Even if I don’t die by being gruesomely murdered, hypothermia will definitely kill me.”

“We could trade body heat.”

Before I could even take time to process what he had just said, Shawn pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me protectively. We were so close to each other that I could smell both the raindrops on him and the faint scent of his cologne.

“Shawn…” My voice wavered.

“Are you still cold?” he asked in a breathy whisper.

There was no way I could still be cold when we were pressed against each other like this. Our wet bodies were smack against each other, and we were both breathing the same air.

“Are you still cold?” he asked again.

I shook my head, knowing that my voice would betray me at this crucial moment. My pulse had sped up, and my heart was beating frantically in my chest.

“You can tell me if you need more heat,” Shawn whispered.

What was he doing? Whatever it was, I could tell that it was intentional because I had suddenly lost my train of thought.

Words eluded me. Shawn and I both stared at each other, the air heavy with things we couldn’t say.

Suddenly, his arms trailed down until they stopped by my waist, and his breath fanned over my face. “I would never let you die of hypothermia.”

Deep down, I knew that if he got near me, I wouldn’t be able to control myself. I was barely holding on at the moment, as thunder roared in the distance.

Shawn’s penetrating gaze sucked me in.

“What if I say I want to strike a new deal?” Shawn asked, and my blood ran cold.

“Huh?”

“A new arrangement,” he said, his breath warm on my face.

I blinked rapidly. “I don’t understand.”

Goosebumps spread across my entire body, partially from the cold breeze, but mostly from the feeling that Shawn was igniting in me.

“I want us to rework the terms of our arrangement. To make it better for both of us.”

What did he mean by “reworking?” Did he want more, like I did? Did he want to see other people? Did I want our arrangement reworked when it was already so emotionally treacherous for me??

I was too selfish to keep living off of the crumbs he fed me, but I was also too scared to open myself up to more.

“I’m not open to negotiating new terms.”

He leaned closer to me. “Are you sure?”

I was more than sure, but before I could let him know that, he pressed his lips to mine, instantly making my body hot with need.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer as one of his hands wrapped around the back of my neck, pushing me back and trapping me between his body and the tree.

His fingers tightened around my neck as he choked me, his tongue moving in sync with mine. Everything about the kiss was selfish and we both knew it. We both knew what we wanted, but neither of us was willing to compromise for the other person.

His hands made their way under my flannel and caressed my exposed skin. I ran my fingers through his hair and pulled him down to me, standing on my tiptoes.

Shawn bit my lower lip and I moaned. His hands moved down my body, grabbing my bum and gripping my hips. Then he began to trail kisses down my throat, his tongue tracing my pulse points and leaving little hickeys on my skin.

My legs felt like jelly. I was scared I would collapse because they couldn’t hold the weight of my body any longer, especially as his aroused cock pressed against my belly.

Shawn growled like a man starved, like he was tired of going at this slow pace.

He grabbed both of my wrists and locked them above my head, pinning them to the tree so he had total control of my body.

“Shawn,” I moaned his name as he stared down at me. I missed his lips on mine already.

I’d never imagined I would crave his touch as much as I did at that moment, and I found myself growing irritated with how much control he had over me and my body.

“I want to touch you,” I told him, and he released my wrists.

Immediately, my hands reached for his chest, where I ran my fingers down his shirt to his shorts, where I could feel his bulge.

He let out a shudder as I massaged his length up and down, watching him melt from my touch. I loved being in control and showing Shawn that I had power over him just like he did with me.

His breathing got more uncontrolled as I quickly pulled at the strings of his shorts, then slipped a hand into them. Shawn sucked in a breath as I traced the tip of his cock with my index finger, making lines around it.

I swiped a bit of precum with my finger, brought it to my lips, and licked, my eyes holding his.

“Arlene, if you start now, I won’t be able to stop,” Shawn growled.

“I never said I wanted you to stop,” I responded, my eyes still on him.

He pressed me against the tree and pulled my leggings down till they were pooled at my ankles.

“You’re a naughty girl to be doing this out in public,” Shawn whispered in my ear.

The rain was still heavy and I couldn’t see anyone passing by, but now that he’d mentioned it, I was acutely aware of the fact that we were out in public. But I didn’t care. I wanted him and it didn’t matter where we were.

“No one will see,” I said, and my cheeks heated.

I was slightly embarrassed that those words had even left my lips. I wanted him inside me so much and he knew it, which was why he let out a soft chuckle.

“I want you, too.”

And with that, he pulled down his shorts and positioned himself in front of me.

“I’ve never done this.” I swallowed. “In public, I mean.”

“Well, there’s a first time for everything,” he whispered in my ear.

He stepped between my legs and lined himself up at my entrance. My breath caught in my throat as he drove forward, slamming his hips against mine. Tears pricked my eyes from the burning sensation of him stretching me.

“Say my name,” he whispered in my ear.

I didn’t want to. I wasn’t going to, but when he slammed into me again, the word spilled from my lips.

“Shawn,” I moaned loudly.

The hungry look he had in his eyes sent shivers down my spine as my nails dug into his back. When he had fully stretched me out and gotten comfortable inside me, the beast inside Shawn was unleashed.

His tempo became more intense and rough as he slammed in and out of me. I clawed at his back as he pounded into me, slamming his hips against mine.

His thrusts didn’t falter and my orgasm began to build inside of me. He ran a thumb across my clit before drawing small circles on it and just like that, I exploded against him. He groaned, threw his head back, and emptied himself inside me.

We both panted as we held onto each other for dear life. There was no way I could detach from Shawn when he fucked me like that, and maybe I was coming to terms with that reality.