Page 24 of Shadow's Surrender
God, how I wish she’d just call me Scarlett.“I’m fine, Heddy. Have a good night and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You have a good night too, Miss Scarlett.” With a curt tip of her head, the house manager walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.
Scarlett switched off the computer and stretched, then moved her head from side to side, working out the kinks in her neck. She’d been sitting for several hours hunched over the keyboard. She pushed away from the desk and ambled to the kitchen in search of a snack.
The house was quiet and the construction noise that had been a constant since the morning was gone. A fruit bowl sat on the granite island, and Scarlett plucked out an apricot and went over to the sink to wash it. She glanced out the window and saw that the workers had already left.He didn’t even stop by to say goodbye.Scarlett quickly pushed away any feelings of hurt.I’m being ridiculous. Why would he stop by? It’s not like we’re friends or anything.She dried the apricot with a paper towel, then bit into it. The sweet juice trickled down her chin, and she dabbed it away with the towel. Apricots were one of her favorite fruits, especially when they came from the farmers market.
Scarlett tossed the pit into the trash. She grabbed a bottle of water and sauntered over to the back door, unlocked the screen, and stepped out, determined to check out the tennis house that they didn’t need.
“Hey,” a deep voice said.
A small cry escaped from her lips as she stepped back toward the screen door. The scent of sawdust, leather, and sweat swirled around her.
“I didn’t mean to freak you out.” A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest, and Shadow came closer to her.
He was much too close. “I just didn’t think anyone was here,” she whispered. She breathed in deeply, and her body tingled at his dangerously potent male scent. Scarlett tried to take her eyes away from the tan skin stretched tight across his chest, glistening in the sun.
“You got one of those for me?” he asked. His gaze crawled over her then landed on her mouth. A whisper of a smile touched his sensuous lips.
A flutter started deep in her belly, and she felt the immediate hot and intense sizzle of current between them a little frightening.
“Are you gonna invite me in?” he asked in a low voice.
“Yeah … sure … okay.” She turned away and breathed deeply a couple of times in order to regain her composure. “You must be real hot from working outside all day.” She wiped her damp hands on her shorts then opened the screen door. “Come on in. I’ll get you a bottle of water.” Nervous excitement streaked through her as she shuffled over to the refrigerator. “How’s the work coming along?” She bent down to grab the bottle from the bottom shelf.
“It’s going. How’ve you been?” he asked.
“Good,” she said, pretending to search for something in the fridge.
“You been thinking about me?” he asked.
“Uh … yeah … a little.”Like nonstop.“What about you?” She gripped the bottle in her hand and closed the refrigerator.
Shadow brought his arms around her waist and tugged her back against him. “You know the answer to that,” he murmured, his breath hot against her ear.
“Do I?” she asked weakly.
“Fuck yeah, baby.” His tongue was warm against the lobe of her ear, causing her breath to catch. “I been thinking all kinds of dirty thoughts about you.”
She shivered as his lips pressed against the sensitive skin just behind her ear. And when his hand moved higher on her waist she held her breath in anticipation.
“You’re so sexy and beautiful,” he whispered as his fingers teased her breast, cupping the weight while his thumb flicked over her nipple.
Scarlett moaned and leaned further back into him, grinding her ass against his erection. Shadow let out a low growl. “Fuck, babe.” He kissed and bit her neck, then spun her around and claimed her lips.
Circling her arms around his neck, she buried her fingers into his thick hair and parted her lips, welcoming him inside. As they kissed, Shadow lightly touched the side of her face, and she panted and pulled him in closer. Then he was everywhere—up her back and over her arms, squeezing her ass and kissing her harder, deeper, more urgently. Scarlett’s body responded, fervently urging him on, and suddenly she realized that no one had ever kissed her like that before and that she’d never have enough.
She clawed at his chest with an overwhelming desire to mark him. He pulled away and looked at her with lust-filled eyes. She moved in and bit him on the neck while she rubbed against his hard dick until he grabbed the hem of her top and yanked it over her head.
“Fuck, baby,” he growled before tearing off her bra and lavishing kisses and bites to her breasts.
Scarlett threw her head back and groaned when his hot mouth slipped over her nipple. He sucked and nipped it hard, making it stiffen and ache. Burning desire consumed her: searing flames that melted her bones and scorched her skin.
“You like that?” he said against her skin as he pushed her shorts and panties down over her hips, past her thighs and knees.
She stepped out of them then pulled him close to her and felt the cold of his buckle against her skin. With trembling fingers, she fumbled to undo it, the palm of her hands skimming over his hardness.
A chuckle rolled from Shadow’s chest, and he helped her undo his jeans. He took out a packet from one of the pockets before pushing down his pants and boxers. For a split second, Scarlett wondered why he had a condom with him while he was at work, but she quickly pushed the thought away as her eyes feasted on his thick, long dick.
