Page 40 of Playing with Trouble

“You,” I gasped despite my better judgement, shuddering against the wall he had me pinned against while he ravaged my body from behind.“God, Ford, it’s you.”

“Damn right.”His pace quickened, his hips snapping into me with brutal precision, his fingers working my clit perfectly.“Come for me, baby.Come all over my cock.And after you do, I’m going to fill you up with my cum so that you’re dripping with it.Come.For.Me,” he demanded.

My body obeyed before my brain could catch up, surrendering to him, clenching around his cock as my orgasm ripped through me, hot and wild, making me cry out his name.Ford held me there, riding me through it until his own release claimed him.He groaned my name against the side of my neck, spilling hot inside me.

I sagged against the wall, boneless and wrung out.Ford secured an arm around me, not letting me fall when my legs felt as though they were about to give out.His grip stayed strong, possessive even, making sure I didn’t fall apart while we both panted for breath.

“Jesus Christ, Violet,” he said, half laugh, half groan.“You’re going to be the death of me.”

The words landed too deep, sparking something in me I couldn’t afford to feel.God help me, I was falling for him.This man had a way of stripping me bare, in more ways than one.But I couldn’t allow that to happen.Not with Ford.Not with anyone.

So instead I laughed, forcing the ache back down where it belonged.“Then you’d better try and keep up, Perish.Because I don’t plan on going easy on you.”

He chuckled.“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

CHAPTER17

Ford

Icould still feel Violet trembling in my arms, and the satisfaction that rolled through me was almost feral.My body was humming, every muscle tight with the effort of holding back from taking more when I’d already taken everything.

I hadn’t just fucked Violet, I’d wrecked her.And the way she’d given herself to me, sweet and submissive, even while pretending she wasn’t, had damn near undone me.She’d never admit it, not out loud, but I felt every silent concession in the way she opened up to me, the way her body obeyed before her bratty mouth could catch up.It was the sweetest fucking surrender I’d ever tasted.

Her body sagged against the wall, shaking in the aftermath of her orgasm, water sluicing over her flushed skin.I stayed pressed to her, one arm firm around her waist, making sure she didn’t crumble completely.

I kissed her damp hair, then slowly eased my cock out of her, holding her steady when she whimpered.“Easy, baby,” I murmured, voice rough with gratification and something deeper.“I’ve got you.”

I turned her gently, bracing her against my chest as I reached for the soap and mesh scrubby thing that women preferred using instead of a washcloth.Her eyes flicked up, suspicious, a little defiant, and I suspected she was attempting to rebuild those walls after I’d just stripped her down to something so raw and unguarded.

“What are you doing?”she asked, frowning at me.

I squirted liquid soap onto the mesh loofah.“Taking care of you.”

“I don’t need—”

“Yeah, you do.”My tone left no room for argument.For as much headway as we’d made that last time at the club, clearly she was back to pretending she didn’t need anyone, or anything.

She scowled but didn’t fight me when I lathered up and began sliding the loofah down her slick skin, washing her slow and thorough.I scrubbed the chlorine off her body, running my palms down her arms, over her back, lingering on her hips before kneeling to soap her legs.

She gave a little huff, like she was annoyed, but I knew better.By the time I worked shampoo through her hair, my fingers massaging her scalp, her shoulders had dropped, her body softening against me despite herself.She closed her eyes, lips parting on a little sigh that she probably didn’t even realize slipped out.

I held back my smile as I rinsed her off, carefully tilting her head back under the spray, keeping the suds from her eyes.When the last of the bubbles were gone, I pressed a kiss to her temple.She cracked one eye open to look at me, and this time I allowed my grin to appear.

“All clean, sweetheart,” I said, shutting off the water.“Let’s get you into bed.”

She made a token protest when I wrapped her in a towel, muttering about being able to dry herself on her own, but I ignored it and rubbed the water off her body then guided her back into her bedroom.I switched on the light on her nightstand, while she slid beneath the covers, still damp and flushed.I climbed in beside her, pulling her into my arms.

She stiffened, predictably.“I don’t do cuddling.”

I just tightened my grip, tucking her against my chest, lips brushing her hair.“Good thing I do.Consider it part of aftercare.”

Another huff of breath from her.Her silence stretched, but she didn’t move away and she didn’t protest or argue.Little by little, she melted against me until her cheek rested on my chest, her breath warm against my skin.

She wasn’t sleeping, just resting, which was fine.I kept my arm locked tight around her for now, one hand stroking absent circles along her hip, enjoying the feel of her soft and complacent in my arms.

Violet Corbin was a walking contradiction.Sharp edges and soft curves, sarcasm and vulnerability all rolled into one irresistible package.She swore she didn’t need anyone, didn’t want anyone holding her too close.But I’d felt the way she leaned into me when she was too tired of fighting.I’d seen the way her eyes softened for a split second before she threw those emotional walls back up.

That was the thing about Violet, those flashes of truth.Most people never got past the bite of her tongue, the sarcasm meant to keep them at arm’s length.But I did.Having lived with her for the past week, I’d seen the woman underneath: loyal, stubborn, fiery as hell, and so much stronger than she gave herself credit for.