Crossing the Line Read online

  “Xander Grove?” He sounds utterly surprised.

  I look up from my lap and at Hercules. He actually seems pleasantly surprised. “Yes.”

  His smirk is delicious. “Then I can’t wait to meet him.”

  I raise my eyebrows warily.

  Reading the expression on my face, Hercules laughs. We both know that’s easier said than done.

  Then I raise a finger. “Oh, and my grandfather. Everything I said about my dad, I can apply to him.” I stop short of saying, “When he was alive.” I like to think of my grandfather being alive in my heart.

  Hercules grunts as he takes a big swig of his cocktail. There’s a tone to the sound he just made. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it sounded a lot like judgment. But I know that if he and I are going to hang out, it’s best to not talk about our families too much. We have always been able to avoid the strife between the Groves and Lords. I want to make sure we continue doing just that.

  He clears his throat. “Well, I’m sorry about how I treated you when people were looking. If I could do high school over again, I’d do it differently.”

  I adjust to sit on one hip, facing him. I’m consumed by the ease and comfort between us. “What would you do differently?”

  “I’d let everybody know that I liked you, for one.”

  When I smile, my insides feel all lit up. “You liked me?”

  His gaze spreads across my face like a warm breeze. “I liked you a lot.”

  “Like, romantic interest ‘like’?”

  His chuckle titillates my insides. “Yes, romantic interest ‘like.’”

  I hum with delight as I fight the urge to stroke his bulging bicep. We’ve become too intimate with each other. This night is crazy, and unreal. Something that has been a long time in the making is happening between us. We’re crossing the line. And I’m not taking a step back, and apparently, neither is Hercules.

  “I had no idea,” I finally say. “I mean, you were very popular. Captain of the rowing team. Every girl in school had a crush on you, especially Greenly Rothschild.” I roll my eyes, vaguely recalling her teenage face in my head.

  “Ah, yes, Greenly.” He takes a sip of his drink. “I forgot about her.”

  I softly jerk my head back in surprise. “Wasn’t she your girlfriend at one point?”

  His desirous gaze caresses every part of my face, and then he whispers, “She was never my type, PG.”

  That look he’s giving me makes my heart thump like a bass drum. I raise my left eyebrow. “But she was the prettiest girl in school.”

  “Ha!” He puts his glass on the coffee table next to mine. “You were and are prettier than she’ll ever be. And you’re smart as hell. When you used to talk computer lingo in class, that turned me on.”

  I toss my head back and laugh. “It’s hard to believe that talking C++ and functions made you sexually excited.”

  “Very,” he says in a voice thickened by lust.

  Unthinkingly, I let my eyes veer down to his hefty bulge. Damn. He’s hard right now.

  Then very carefully and slowly, Hercules leans toward me. My lips part as my chest rises and falls with my deep breaths. I know what’s about to happen next. Before long, our lips entwine.

  “Umm,” we moan as our tongues tangle sensually. He tastes like citrus, gin, and Hercules.

  Then he ends the kiss to put his lips near my ear. “Can I have you, Paisley Grove?”

  When he places a sensual kiss on my lobe, I breathlessly say, “Yes.”

  With ravishing hunger, his lips capture mine. Hercules binds his large fingers around my arm and methodically guides me down against the fluffy rug we’re sitting on. He stretches my arms above my head. Even though I’m indulging in the taste of his mouth and the feel of his hardness on top of mine, I take note that this is the second time Hercules has held my arms this way. I never thought his sex style would be so possessive. With our sensual kiss deepening, I gladly submit myself to him yet again, body and soul. But then I squeeze my eyes shut tightly as a picture of Lauren whispering in Hercules’s ear comes to mind.

  “Wait,” I say as Hercules liberates one of my breasts. My eager nipple hates me for stopping him. It yearns for his mouth to cover it, his tongue to swaddle it, and his teeth to nibble it.

  “What is it?” Hercules breathes heavily as his hungry eyes shift back and forth from my face to my breasts. Then his rigid hardness digs into my slit, reminding me what’s important at the moment. The pleasurable sensation is immediate, causing me to spew a quick breath.

  I want to say never mind and let him finish what he’s starting, but instead, I ask, “You said Lauren’s your cousin?”

  “Yes.” He sounds impatient.

  “Then why was she so possessive of you?”

  He groans. “Do you really want to talk about her right now?”

  “If she’s your girlfriend, then yes.”

  “Paisley, if she was my girlfriend, you wouldn’t be here with me right now. I don’t cheat on women I commit to. And I’m not nor will I ever be committed to her,” he declares with a bite.

  Gazing into his earnest eyes, I believe him. Oh goodness. I’m on the verge of giving myself to Hercules Lord for the second time in my life. I nod, giving him permission to take me in any way he desires. Plus, my eyes can no longer hold his attention. Hercules swallows as he seems hypnotized by my hard nipple that’s being aroused even more by the sensation of his heavy breath blowing against it.

  Without further delay, he sucks in as much of my 34C-sized breast as he can fit between his dimpled cheeks. I grab hold of his strong shoulders as his tongue and teeth stimulate my nipple, sending shivers of pleasure to my lady parts.

  I exhale heavily against the fresh air in the room. I’m experiencing sensory overload as he lets go of my arm and allows his hand to slide up my inner thigh, parting them and then…

  “Ha,” I gasp as the back of my head pinches the soft fibers beneath us.

  His finger rounds my clit, applying pressure that makes an immediate impact. I squirm with delight as I gnaw on my bottom lip.

  “Baby, don’t do that with your mouth, or I’m going to have to fuck you first,” he says in a sensually gruff voice.

  Do what with my mouth? Oh.

  I release my lower lip, and his mouth immediately seizes it. And we’re kissing again as he intensifies his stimulation. My whimpers and moans join our urgent, warm, wet kissing. I’m so overstimulated that I’m battling the desire to faint from too much pleasure.

  When an orgasm sprouts through my core, I moan louder into his mouth. But as the overpowering sensation expands, I turn my head, ending our kiss, so I can feel it grow.

  “Yeah, baby,” he whispers as I instinctively incline my hips toward his finger work. “I love it when a woman knows how to get what she wants,” he declares.

  Emboldened by his claim. I angle my hips. “Ah,” I cry to the high heavens, and my thighs compulsively shiver as the explosion I’ve been seeking occurs, and pleasure like no other spreads through my hood.

  Standing on his knees between my legs, Hercules mutters a string of curse words as he snatches off my black bikini panties and tosses them over his head. Then, eyes narrowed, he slides a finger up and down my slit.

  “Damn. You’re so wet.”

  He’s right. I am. I’m so turned on.

  He eagerly undoes his belt buckle and unzips his trousers. Through my hazy gaze, I watch him stroke himself twice before sucking air between his teeth. He’s just as humongous as I remember. How could I have ever endured such circumference during my first time ever?

  “I can’t wait.” He slides a condom out of his pocket, tears it open, and rolls the rubber over his erection.

  “Me neither.” I sigh.

  He’s ready. Thighs separated, sex eager, I stiffen with anticipation. Then his girth presses against my entrance. Slowly, almost ceremoniously, Hercules slides himself inside me.

  He shivers. “Oh shit.” Then, in one swi
ft motion, Hercules rolls me on top of him. My thighs straddle him. Grasping my ass, he shifts me against his cock. I’m so full of him that I can barely endure how good he feels inside me.

  With my cheek pinned against his, he whispers, “I want this so much.”

  Me too—as my moaning is full of want and yearning. He’s stretching me so wide. His thrusts feels so good. And when Hercules finally becomes overwhelmed by his own pleasure, he lets go of my hips to grip my waist. That frees me up to chase every sensation his prodding inspires.

  But I must raise my head to see his face because something pleasing is also occurring within my heart. Our breaths colliding, we fasten our gazes on each other. Hercules grimaces as though he’s experiencing pleasure too gratifying to endure. The look on his face is so vulnerable that my emotions are heightened.

  “Damn,” he says. “You feel so good, baby.”

  And so does he. I would say that if I could find the right words. Our shifting is in perfect harmony as I bite down on my lower lip, close my eyes, and wait for the sparks inside my womanhood to heighten and grow and…

  I toss my head back and cry out when it hits me. Body convulsing, I fall forward, flattening myself against the man of my dreams, blowing breaths against his neck as my sex jerks against his cock.

  “Good girl, PG,” he whispers, stroking my back until I’m still. That was so damn intense. I’ve never…

  “Umm…” I moan as Hercules’s lips find mine.

  Our kissing is voracious as he rolls me onto my back. Now it’s his turn to get off, and I’m finally able to wrap my legs around his tapered waist. But his torso stays high as he watches his cock slide in and out of my wetness. “Shit,” he repeats. “So—good.”

  Even though I already came, he still feels so good in every way imaginable. I’m transfixed by the intense expression on his face. It’s the only expression I ever fantasized about. I can’t believe being inside me is pleasuring him this much.

  Damn. I close my eyes and let out a high-pitched cry as one of his strokes lands the most gratifying punch.

  “You like that, baby?” He does it again and again.

  “Yes,” I’m barely able to get out before biting down my lower lip to endure what feels so good.

  Soon, my lower lip is between Hercules’s teeth, and then his warm, tasty tongue slides against it until our tongues curl and stroke each other just as passionately as his cock strokes me.

  And then…

  Pillow Talk

  PAISLEY GROVE

  ABOUT AN HOUR LATER

  We stripped off the rest of our clothes and left them scattered on floor of the den. Then Hercules took my hand. He and I gaped at each other, raising our eyebrows, and naughtily smirking conspiratorially as he led me to his king-sized bed, which has a sexy black leather tufted headboard. We’ve been rolling from one side of his bed to the other and from the foot of the bed to the head of it, making out like hormonal teenagers. We tried having a conversation since there’s still so much catching up on the past seven years to do. At certain moments, our lips would release each other so that we could gently brush our noses—our cheeks—our foreheads. The energy of our contact generates feels like supple velvet. I feel that way right now. My head is on its way to Mars. My emotions overwhelm me. I think it’s the same for Hercules too as we put our foreheads together to catch our breaths. I’m certain we’re making up for the numerous times we wanted to do exactly what we’re doing now without feeling guilty about it.

  “I’m going to put on a condom,” he whispers.

  Forget a condom. I just want him inside me already. I swallow, forcing myself to be rational during this lustful moment. “Okay?” I softly say.

  Air cools my skin when Hercules’s body abandons mine. My cells already miss his. Dangerous, Paisley. Very dangerous. Regardless of how uninhibited I feel, I’m still playing with fire.

  But I ignore my inner warning system for now.

  Hercules’s gaze roams my figure as he slides on a condom.

  “You’re so fucking sexy,” he remarks.

  My eyebrows shoot up. It’s still unfathomable that Hercules Lord wants me—the nerd he met in high school.

  Now that the cap is on, he watches me with pressed lips. “What are you thinking?”

  I start to speak, but then think better of it. I’m on the verge of telling him the truth. But for some reason, I’m too embarrassed to admit that he makes me feel insecure.

  “Come on, PG, what’s putting that crease between your eyes,” he says as he lays down beside me.

  I clear evidence of my lack of confidence away from my forehead. “Nothing.” My high-pitched voice isn’t at all convincing. Hercules kneads my thigh and I’m on sensory overload.

  “Do you want to stop?” he asks.

  “No,” I say ardently.

  With the tip of his soft finger, he traces a line up my sternum and between my breasts. I’m melting when his hand caresses my chin. “Good.”

  Our eye contact stays steady.

  Why do I want to say I love you? I can’t love him. I haven’t seen him in seven years.

  His expression is so earnest when he says, “I’ve missed you, PG?”

  Don’t be afraid. Say it back, Paisley. My eyes tear up when I confess, “I’ve missed you too.”

  And then…

  Fifteen Minutes Later

  I lie on top of Hercules’s bare chest as he strokes my hair. I recall how soft and hairless his chest used to be seven years ago. He has more hair now but not a lot. I kiss his smooth skin, and he moans as if my lips are tastier than birthday cake.

  “That was good, PG. You’re good.” He almost sounds surprised by that. I’m certainly surprised by his claim.

  I raise my head to gaze into his serious eyes. “I’m good at what? Kissing your chest?”

  He chuckles. “Sex.”

  I raise my chin a few inches higher. “Sex? I can’t be that good at it. I have no real experience doing it.”

  His eyebrows furrow. I’ve piqued his curiosity. “No?” he asks.

  I lower my chin back onto his wide, rock hard chest. “No.”

  Hercules’s hand slides up and down my ass. His cock is soft. He won’t be getting hard anytime soon. The last time he came, he gave me everything he had. But I still feel possessed by him.

  “Can I ask you something?” he says.

  “Um hmm,” I hum contently.

  “When was the last time you had sex?”

  I contort my mouth thoughtfully, trying to remember. “It’s been a while.”

  “Really?” He sounds highly amused by my admission.

  “Yeah. Really.”

  “Was it satisfying at least?”

  A face comes to mind.

  Hercules chuckles. “That bad, huh?”

  Oh, I’m frowning. That’s what memories of my ex, Boyles Bellingham, make me do. I tell Hercules what happened between me and the boyfriend from hell. I’d already broken up with Boyles but for some reason, when he rolled into the city last year for a professional convention, we had dinner and then sex. The memory of him inside me makes my mouth taste even more bitter.

  “What did he do to make you feel that way about him?” Hercules asks.

  “He was a cheater.” My frown grows more pronounced. “I also believed he liked me because of my last name.”

  Hercules softly strokes my back. “Why did you think that?”

  I sigh with dread as everything resembling desire wants to leave my body. Whenever I think about Boyles, I feel unattractive, maybe because that was how he made me feel—like nobody wanted me, including him.

  “I don’t know. He used to say my full name whenever referring to me. Like, he would say, ‘My girlfriend is Paisley Grove,’ instead of just saying, ‘My girlfriend is Paisley.’”

  Hercules chuckles. “That’s it, PG?”

  “Other than not ever being able to keep his eyes to himself and of course, cheating. I mean, if you’re going to screw around and lu
st after other girls, why be in a relationship? He might as well have stayed single.”

  “That’s because we men can be selfish. For instance…” Hercules wraps me up in his arms, holding me closer to him. “He wouldn’t have gotten to do this if he wasn’t your boyfriend. He’d just be lusting from afar.”

  I grunt. “That’s disturbing.”

  Hercules chuckles. “It’s immature. And you’ve also always been beyond your years. I would say, Boyles…” His eyebrows crumple. “Was that his real name?”

  Chuckling, I say, “Yep. Could you imagine being named after a soar that can cause gangrene?”

  “No, I can’t,” Hercules replies, laughing.

  I shake my head, picturing sitting with my ex in the dining hall while his gaze landed on all the pretty girls in the room. “I don’t know. I used to think he had no idea he gazed at women the way he did. I think he had serious issues.”

  “That’s very gracious of you to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

  All that’s inside me melt as we beam at each other.

  It’s as if Hercules’s face is the only thing in existence. When he rolls me over onto my back, my heart knocks in my chest. When he’s on top of me, we slide our tongues into each other’s mouths. Our kissing feels like a ritual that’s part of a sacred ceremony. Why do I always whimper when we kiss? Our lip-locking deepens as he rubs his softened cock against my slit.

  If only we had paced ourselves.

  He gives me a final tender and heartfelt peck on the lips, and our mouths grudgingly separate. Hercules’s eyes stay closed for a few beats as though he’s still savoring my flavor. I swallow, unable to look away from his handsome face. I’m afraid to blink hard. Maybe being with him this away is a dream, one that I never want to wake up from.