He ran his hands up and down her body, letting his fingers feel every indentation of her ribs, the band of her bra, the satin ribbon across the top of her panties. He kissed her shoulder and moved up her neck as she rolled her head back.
“I have to tell you something,” she said, rolling her chin down to meet his mouth.
He kissed the side of her lip. “What is it?”
Hayley squeezed his hips in her hands. “I’ve never been with anyone before,” she confessed.
Bryce paused, pulling back to look in her eyes. “We don’t have to do anything. I just want to be next to you.” The words were a lie. He wanted to take her to the climax.
“No, I want to do it,” She bit her lip. “And I want it to be you.”
Bryce’s body betrayed him, straining against the stretch in his nylon gym shorts. “Are you sure?”
Hayley nodded, and kissed him. “And don’t worry about protection. I’m on birth control.” She guided his hands to her back, letting him unclasp her bra. She slipped the straps down her arms and dropped it to the floor. Bryce wasted no time taking her breast in his mouth. He swirled his tongue around the point of her nipple, as she let her head fall back, her hair spilling down her back. He gripped the loose strands in his fist and pulled it back, exposing her neck. He kissed up her chest and to her mouth, releasing his pull on her hair only to tangle it in his fingers, pushing her head against his. Hayley slipped her hand under his waist band and worked his shorts to the ground.
Bryce kicked the shorts away and gripped Hayley’s rump, lifting her up onto the bed. She pushed backwards, giving him room to move on top of her. Bryce rolled her panties off as she slowly parted her legs in invitation. He still held himself back. Now that he knew she was a virgin, he had to be gentle.
He pressed himself against her, the warmth and wetness of her body drove him over the edge. She opened her knees wider, letting him slip inside her.
She gasped. His body screamed to push in as hard and deep as he could, but he held back. She moaned as he gained ground inside her inch by inch, pausing each time to kiss her mouth, her neck, her breasts. Hayley’s chest lifted in response, her back arching to force him all the way in.
Hayley squealed as they joined together, and Bryce almost pulled back but she urged him on. She couldn’t let him stop or she’d combust from the heat of her own want. The pain quickly subsided, as her body responded to his with more wetness, warmth, and pleasure.
Bryce pumped his hips forward and filled her completely. There was no way he could control himself anymore. It wasn’t even worth trying – there was no more reason, or caution, or fear. She wrapped her legs around him as he pulled back and pushed in harder, deeper, wanting to touch every part of her – inside and out.
All thoughts left Hayley’s mind – every fear, every worry – as she let Bryce consume every part of her with his lips and his tongue. Her body electrified as he pumped harder, unleashing ecstasy she had never felt before. She closed her eyes and saw black turn to bright colors, his body lifting hers higher and higher as she fought to meet his every thrust with her own until, finally, an explosion of intense pleasure filled her body and she sank back into the bed. Bryce throbbed inside her. He collapsed on top of her chest, his hand still on her breast. Hayley kissed his cheek, twisting her body to wrap one leg over his. She wanted to sleep just like that: intertwined, as much of their bodies still touching as possible. He kissed her and opened his eyes.
“I still owe you a song,” he smiled slowly.
“I think we’re even,” she answered.
“And I think I’m madly in love with you,” Bryce said, pulling her closer against his chest.
Hayley smiled as she squeezed her eyes shut. She knew she was as much in love with this man as he was with her. A man who would go back to New York once his job was finished. Of course, she’d fall in love with someone she couldn’t keep. Even the sweetest songs lasted only a few minutes, and just like the songs, this too would have to come to an end.
11
Good Advice
Bryce wokeup with Hayley’s back pressed against his chest, and his arm around her waist. Sunlight had barely begun to pierce through the crack in the curtains. Nash would be pulling up to relieve Steve of his night watch at the pool house at any minute. With the team on high alert, they weren’t ready to rely on just the digital surveillance for intruders just yet; they wanted to be present here in case the stalker showed up. Bryce kissed Hayley’s bare shoulder and reluctantly slipped out of bed. He pulled the blanket up to cover her arms and got dressed, then went downstairs so he would give the appearance to anyone who came home he’d been there all night, rather than in his client’s room.
Bryce stretched out on the overstuffed sofa, drawing a throw pillow down on top of him. He took his phone out of his pocket and checked for messages: just one from Rusty, checking in. Bryce rubbed his eyes. He’d set out to make a point he wasn’t just a kid at Redmond Security Group, and here he’d already given into his desires. He sat up and scratched his beard, his head spinning. How could he be his sharpest self – the version of himself needed the most to protect Hayley – when his feelings for her transitioned from professional to personal? The word “love” crossed his thoughts and he shook his head. He’d never been in love with anyone before. He’d hardly been in love with his ex; Erin had been easy to get over, when she wouldn’t take the extra effort needed to be stationed together on their next assignment. If it’d been Hayley, he would have fought tooth and nail to stay by her side.
Bryce’s head swam, from confusion or sleeplessness, he wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to do anything that could jeopardize Hayley’s safety, and he’d potentially done that by getting involved. How was he supposed to maintain a clear, rational mind around a woman he was falling deeply and irreversibly in love with?
Bryce had decided to return Rusty’s call. Even without the hour time difference, he knew Rusty would be up or headed to the office. Rusty was a stoic early riser, who liked to run at least five miles before breakfast and open the office at the crack of dawn to get a jump on the day. Bryce considered himself disciplined, but he still liked to let the first hours of morning pass while he slept. He’d spent most of his teenage years awake all night, playing computer games and practicing breaking security server encryptions. It would take at least all of his twenties to fully reverse his vampire-sleeping patterns, and he’d barely made a dent in the decade.
The phone rang twice before Rusty picked up. “Hey kid, how’s it going over there?”
Bryce filled Rusty in on the stalker’s attack at the club and his progress in tracking him down. “I’m close,” Bryce said. “I have a list of his aliases, online handles, and I’m pretty sure he’s staying in town, probably waiting for another chance to strike before we bolster and tighten security. We’re watching her around the clock.”
“If you can draw him out,” Rusty said, “You can nail him.”
“There’s a problem.” Bryce sighed. “I’m not sure I’m the best person for this job anymore.”
“Why? What happened?”
Bryce ran a hand over his hair. “I think I’m in love with her,” he said. “I’m sorry, boss. I tried to be professional. She’s just so –”
