Sophie
Cayden’s lips were back against her before she’d barely gotten the question out, his reply a distant memory as he pushed her back further into the hotel room. Her whole world narrowed down to the single spot where they were connected, fused together so hard that Sophie could barely breathe but it didn’t matter. This was what she wanted. What she so desperately needed.
Sophie was vaguely aware of Cayden kicking the door shut behind them but the temperature in the hotel room skyrocketed as he angled his mouth over hers, drawing the kiss even deeper as their tongues tangled together. He was everywhere. She inhaled his spicy masculine scent with every breath and his hard body surrounded hers as he towered over her, making her feel small and safe and secure in his arms.
She was melting against him, going up in flames hotter than anything she’d ever felt before. Nothing with Peter had ever felt like this. Not even close. The moments she’d shared with her ex-fiancé were tepid in comparison. Hell, they weren’t even in the same class.
But then Cayden was pulling away, holding her back away from his body. The body she desperately wanted to press herself against, and staring down at her with those ocean blue eyes of his. Sophie had to blink away the haze of desire and she didn’t know who was more surprised, her or Cayden.
After a long moment, he dropped his arms and took a step back, and then another as if he didn’t trust himself to stand that close to her. He still had a look of shock on his face as he stared down at her.
“Sophie, listen…” He started and then paused, swallowing hard before continuing, “Maybe this isn’t a good idea. Maybe we should wait. You were just in the hospital and you’re still hurt…” Cayden trailed off again, looking like he could barely believe the words that were falling from his lips. Sophie couldn’t believe it either.
“I should probably just go back to my own room and let you rest–.”
“Don’t you dare move.” Sophie growled, cutting him off before he could even finish whatever he’d been going to say.
Cayden stared at her wide-eyed. “What?”
“I said, don’t move.” Cayden froze at her words and a sense of power swept through Sophie as she met his gaze. She didn’t know where it had come from, but as she stood there looking up at him, she knew the truth. She wanted him. And she was done denying herself. For the first time in her life, well technically speaking the second, Sophie Stone was going to be reckless and go after what she wanted no matter the consequences. And she wanted Cayden Ray.
She wasn’t about to deny herself. Not when they were flying back to New York in the morning and things would go back to normal between them. They’d be back to fighting each other for the best stories. If not all out enemies, they would still be competitors and co-workers. This was probably going to be the last night they’d ever spend together. No way in hell was she letting him walk out of that door.
Sophie didn’t let herself stop and think about what she was doing as she took a step forward, and then another, until Cayden was just inches in front of her. She kept moving forward until his back hit the wall and she reached up and grabbed the collar of his shirt. Sophie pulled it hard, at the same time pressing her needy body against his but it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough to satisfy the ache burning deep inside her.
“I know what I want, Ray.” Sophie said, her voice low and huskier than she’d ever heard it. It was nearly a purr as she spoke again, “And believe me, it’s not to rest.” As she was staring up into his azure eyes an intense emotion swept through her as the past forty-eight hours seemed to catch up all at once.
“Please, Cayden.” The words were pouring out of her mouth before she could stop them, “I don’t want to be alone. Not now. Not after everything that happened.”
Sophie could almost make out the exact moment that his resolve to leave crumbled under the weight of her desire but she couldn’t be sure because the moment his mouth slammed against hers in a powerful kiss that sent them both reeling. She was drowning in that kiss, lost in a sea of lust and mindless need. And Cayden was drowning right along with her.
Gone was the controlled, experienced lover of the night before. Now, they were running on leftover adrenaline and a desire that had them both shaking like leaves caught in a summer storm. All that was left was the aching need and the spiraling pleasure as they stumbled towards the bed.
Cayden slowed as the backs of Sophie’s knees hit the bed and instead of rushing headlong under the covers like she expected he stopped them both. For one awful moment, she was afraid he was going to suggest leaving again but those fears fled as he reached out, grabbed a handful of the hem of her loose cotton dress and dragged it over her head.
Sophie quickly kicked off her high tops to land somewhere unheeded in the room and Cayden slowly, methodically stripped her until she was standing there in nothing but a bra, panties, and her glasses. As if he was moving in slow motion, Sophie watched as Cayden reached out and gently took her glasses, sliding them off her nose and placing them lightly on the nightstand.
Cayden took a step back then and all Sophie could do was stand there and watch, mesmerized as he stripped off his own shirt, kicking off his shoes and pants in a rush before he was back in front of her. Just inches away but suddenly the tension was so thick in the air between them that it seemed almost impossible to penetrate.
Still moving in slow motion, Cayden reached out and laid his hands feather light against her bare shoulders before turning her around until her back was plastered against his front. Sophie could more than feel his thick erection burning against her hips but he didn’t hurry as he trailed a path of kisses down the side of her neck. Cayden didn’t stop until he reached the strap of her bra, slowly teasing it down her arm before sliding off the other one.
Sophie’s breath trembled from her lips as Cayden blew gently against the skin he’d just kissed until she was shaking in his arms. Only then did he reach down between them to unhook the clasp and let her bra fall to the floor.
She felt Cayden’s touch as he swept his hands around from behind her, teasing her nipples into hard peaks. He was still raining kisses on every inch of bare skin he could reach until she was dizzy. Sophie’s head was spinning with crazed desire, her knees were weak and she felt a moment away from melting like a puddle of hot wax on the floor.
But something rose from deep inside her, twined with the aching need and haze of lust that was blinding her. As much pleasure as she got from the last time they’d slept together, she didn’t want to be just a passive observer. She wanted to take control.
Sophie had to fight back a moment of insecurity as she turned around, standing face to face with Cayden but her instincts and desire pushed her on as she opened her mouth.
“Lay down on the bed.”
Cayden’s eyes widened in surprise at her order but he didn’t hesitate to do what she asked. She waited until he was lying on his back on the queen-sized bed, contemplating what to do next but the need spiraling out of control inside her knew exactly what it wanted.
“Strip all the way.” She whispered, “I want to see you naked.”
Once again, he didn’t hesitate at all before following her command. Sophie inhaled deeply as he slid his boxers off, kicking them off the bed and for a moment all she could was stare at him in disbelief. It was hard to imagine him fitting inside her at all, but she remembered exactly how perfect he felt. The exquisite pleasure of their bodies joined together. And she was dying for another taste.
Sophie was still fighting a bout of shyness but it didn’t stop her from grabbing a condom from Cayden’s wallet and walking back over toward him.
“It’s your turn to strip.” Cayden growled before she could climb on the bed and with a blush flaming across her cheeks, she paused. Slowly, she grabbed the waistband of her panties, pushing them down over her hips to fall to the floor with the rest of their hastily discarded clothes. His sharp inhale echoed loudly in the room, spurring her forward once more.
Sophie didn’t stop this time until she was crawling on the bed, ripping open the foil packet as she straddled him. She stared at the condom for a moment, realizing that she didn’t really know what the hell she was doing but it didn’t stop her from reaching down to try and slide the smooth latex over the tip of Cayden’s thick cock.
“You’re killing me, Sophie,” Cayden hissed painfully and Sophie looked up to realize his face was red and beaded with sweat and his fingers were clenched into tight fists in the sheets. “Jesus, I’m going to come before I even get inside you.”
He took the condom from her fumbling hands and slid it on and as soon as he was ready she was there. She was dripping wet and wanted him so badly it hurt. Her vision went red as she felt the tip of him at her entrance but she needed more. With one, smooth hitch of her hips he was deep, deep inside her, right where she needed him.
They both moaned in pleasure at the contact and she loved the way he squeezed his eyes shut tight as she slid down on top of him. It was like magic, the way ecstasy travelled from his body to hers. As she rode him, that sensation spiraled higher and higher and so did her emotions. Everything that had happened since they’d landed in D.C. seemed to explode inside her, and she knew she wouldn’t want anyone else there with her except Cayden.
He was the rock that she could cling to in the storm that threatened to pull her under. He had saved her, and despite what he said, he truly was her knight in shining armor. Tenderness and desire and adrenaline and confusion all tangled within her, laced with a pleasure so intense it was nearly agony as she met him thrust for thrust.
Cayden sank deep inside her one last time and it was all it took to have her flying apart in his arms. She shattered, wholly and completely as her orgasm hit her hard. Every muscle clenched tight, squeezing around his cock and a moment later Cayden was following, her name harsh and guttural on his lips.
Sophie rode out the never-ending waves of pleasure for a long moment before she collapsed in a boneless, sweaty heap on the bed next to him. Her body was exhausted, but her mind was unable to rest. Over and over it replayed the riots, the attack, waking up in the hospital. Finding out that it was Cayden who’d rescued her.
Sophie didn’t know how long she lay there as Cayden slept deep and peaceful next to her. Her mind refused to shut off even as her body still felt the remnants of pleasure that echoed through her. It was strange for her to think about. After all the years of Cayden chasing after her, and every woman who moved, she was lying there in the bed next to him. And even more surprising, she felt happy. No, it was more than that. She felt free. For the first time since even before she’d started dating Peter, she felt entirely, wonderfully free.
She didn’t know what was going to happen when they got back to New York. She didn’t really want to think about it. Not yet. Because she knew that it was stupid to get attached to him. Cayden had a bad habit of making women fall for his charms, and making fools of themselves in the process.
Better to just pretend nothing had happened between them. They would just go back to normal. Everything would be the same as it always was. She was still trying to convince herself of that when she felt Cayden wrap a protective arm around her, pulling her close against him in his sleep.