Off-Limits Read online

  “Let me guess,” I heard him say as I walked out. “Howler is being a dumbass as usual.”

  I didn’t stick around to hear how the other two replied. I walked to my class, getting there ten minutes early for once. But once class started, and the professor droned on and on about a subject I had no interest in learning, I tuned out everything and played with my phone in my lap.

  By the time the professor dismissed us, I was bored out of my mind, had a new high score on Angry Birds Dream Blast, and was dreading facing Howler again. Grabbing my stuff, I walked toward where he’d dropped me off earlier, taking my time to delay the inevitable.

  His SUV was already waiting. Seeing me coming, he jumped out of the driver’s seat and walked around to open the passenger door for me. As he did, a group of girls walked by. They greeted him by name, and he nodded in acknowledgment but didn’t even look twice at them. Instead, he looked right at me, and I nearly stumbled when I saw the unveiled hunger shimmering in his eyes.

  “How was your day?” he asked as I neared.

  “Boring,” I grumbled, climbing up into the front seat.

  “You could always quit and come work for me,” he suggested. “I need someone to run the office who isn’t afraid to tell me how it is.”

  “Your mom runs the office, and she isn’t afraid to tell you to fuck off.” I dropped my things on the floor at my feet and reached for my seat belt while he stood there watching me.

  “She’s been complaining about wanting to retire lately. If I had someone she trusted to take her place, she’d probably take a world cruise and never look back.”

  “I have a job,” I reminded him, keeping my gaze straight ahead.

  “True,” he agreed. “But if you worked for me, Josie would see you every day.”

  I clenched my jaw. “You play dirty.”

  “With you, I have to.” He leaned inside, his huge upper body taking up all my personal space. “Tell me you don’t love me, Lyla. Tell me, and I’ll back away. I won’t mention what happened last night. I won’t offer you a job. I’ll go back to being the father of the little girl you adore and your brother’s best friend. Say it, and nothing changes.”

  Closing my eyes, I sucked in a shuddering breath. My lungs filled with the scent of his body wash mixed with sweat and pure, delicious man. “I can’t,” I whispered.

  “Thank fuck,” he breathed half a second before his mouth crashed into mine.

  Chapter 5

  Howler

  Lyla’s taste exploded on my tongue, and every primal instinct inside me roared to life. I cupped the back of her head and thrust my tongue deep, gorging myself on her essence.

  She moaned into my mouth, her hands grasping my shirt and balling into fists, holding me in place.

  For more years than I wanted to count, I’d stopped myself from kissing her time and time again. What a fucking idiot I’d been. Kissing Lyla was the most amazing, life-altering experience of my existence. It felt right. More so than anything else ever had or ever would.

  Because she was mine.

  With a willpower I didn’t know I possessed, I pulled back enough to look at her. Slowly, dazedly, she lifted her lashes and licked her kiss-swollen lips. “I’ve wanted to do that since you were fifteen,” I confessed. “And baby, the wait was fucking worth it.”

  “We have to pick up Josie,” she reminded me, her voice shaking ever so slightly as she touched her fingertips to her bottom lip.

  “Right,” I agreed before kissing her again. This time, it was quick and hard, but no less soul-awakening. “Just to hold me over until we get home,” I said with a wink. Stepping back, I shut her door and walked around to the driver’s side slowly, taking my time so my jeans didn’t crush my throbbing cock.

  When I got behind the wheel, she was still touching her mouth, and I ached for just one more taste. But I knew if I kissed her again, we would end up being late to pick up Josie. Instead, I made do with gently grasping her wrist and pulling her hand away from her mouth. I kissed her fingers and laid her hand on my thigh before starting the vehicle and pulling into traffic.

  At a red light, she lifted her hand from my leg to turn on the music. But when she started to sit back without replacing her hand where I’d positioned it, I caught it and put it back where it belonged.

  “Are you going to tell me what changed last night?” she asked a moment later.

  I didn’t want to tell her about what Judge said the night before. “Last night, I opened my eyes,” I told her instead, still being completely honest. “I’m tired of fighting what I feel for you. I want us to be together, and fuck the consequences.”

  She just sat there, studying me, probably trying to see if I was playing a game with her. After Judge’s confession the night before, I realized he was right. I didn’t deserve Lyla if I wasn’t willing to put her first. I should have done this years ago, and I could have kicked my own ass for wasting so much time when we could have been together.

  Lyla was still contemplating me quietly when I pulled into the parking lot of the private preschool Josie attended three days a week. Getting out, I walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. After looking at my outstretched hand for a moment, she took it, and I entwined our fingers as we walked inside to get our baby girl.

  As soon as we walked into Josie’s classroom, she came running over and threw herself into Lyla’s arms. Lyla picked her up, kissing every inch of her face. My heart felt like it was going to explode in my chest at the rightness of the moment.

  The teacher, Mrs. Miller, walked over to us with a smile on her face. “We had a very good day today, Mr. Bronson,” she assured me. Then her smile dimmed, and she lowered her voice. “Miss Hopkins tried to enter the building twice today. We changed her security code after our discussion this morning, so she wasn’t able to get in. The first time, there were no issues, but the second, we had to have security escort her off the premises.”

  I looked over to where Josie was talking animatedly to Lyla about her day. “But Josie wasn’t upset?”

  “She didn’t even know what was going on. I didn’t either until my boss informed me after the fact so I could talk to you about it.” She patted my arm comfortingly. “We just wanted to reassure you Josie is safe here and that her mother can’t get in to see her. You don’t have to worry about your child while she’s in our care.”

  I gave her a grim smile, nodding. Still, in the back of my mind, I knew how conniving Gwen was. I’d been stupid enough to date her after all. She’d only been a distraction from what I really wanted when Lyla was far too young. Even back then, I knew I loved Lyla, and it drove Gwen crazy with jealousy because she suspected.

  The shit she’d put Lyla through in the past because of that jealousy was the reason I’d broken up with her in the first place. Lyla held her own and gave it right back—times ten—but I wasn’t going to let anyone mistreat her.

  After gathering Josie’s stuff, we left with Josie still in Lyla’s arms. “Can we have spaghetti for dinner tonight?” she asked as Lyla buckled her into her booster seat.

  “Sounds good. If Daddy says it’s okay, we will.”

  “With Lyla’s homemade garlic knots and salad.” My stomach growled just thinking about it. “Let’s stop at the grocery store and grab what we need,” I suggested as I opened the passenger door and waited for Lyla to finish up.

  “Yay!” Josie cheered and smacked a kiss on Lyla’s cheek. “I really, really, really like you living with us, Lyla. It’s like we’re a family.”

  Lyla gave her a sweet smile before stepping back, but as she started to get into the front seat, I saw her chin tremble. As she settled into her seat, I leaned in and kissed the corner of her mouth. “I like it too,” I murmured close to her ear.

  “Me too,” she whispered, swallowing hard.

  “What about dessert?” Josie asked from the middle of the back seat. “Can we have something yummy for dessert?”

  “How about cookies?” Lyla suggested, turning in her seat so she could see Josie. She was all smiles again.

  While Josie squealed in delight, I closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side. They were still contemplating what cookies to make for dessert when I pulled into the grocery store a few minutes later.

  “Chocolate chip.”

  “Boring,” Josie said with a sass that matched Lyla’s as we walked into the store. “What about birthday cake?”

  “I’ve never made birthday cake cookies,” Lyla informed her.

  “I know how!” Josie assured her. “It’s only sugar cookies with sprinkles. Uncle Judge’s housekeeper’s daughter showed me how.”

  Lyla’s eyes widened, and she glanced at me. “When was Ellianna home?”

  “She spent the summer here,” I told her and watched as her face dropped in disappointment. Mabel’s daughter was the same age as Lyla, and they’d basically grown up together. But when Ellianna went off to college, she didn’t look back and was rarely home.

  “How was she? Has she changed any?”

  “I only saw her a few times, but yeah, she’s changed some.”

  Lyla sighed, and I knew she was missing her childhood friend. But then she put a smile back on her beautiful face for Josie. “Well, I guess birthday cake cookies it is, then. Will you show me how to make them?”

  “Don’t worry, Lyla. I’ll teach you.” Josie danced around her happily. “Then we can make them every day!”

  Chapter 6

  Lyla

  After dinner, we all ate our cookies in the living room while watching a movie. Josie was obsessed with the How to Train Your Dragon movies, so we had the third one on already by the time Howler joined us with a glass of milk for each of us.

  “Scoot,” Howler told his daughter, who was sitting in the middle of the couch with her gigantic stuffed Toothless and Light Fury beside her.

  Without a word, she scooted over. He looked at me next. “Scoot.”

  “You have the whole end of the couch to sit on. Why do I need to move?” I asked, stuffing a cookie into my mouth. Josie was right; birthday cake cookies were pretty incredible.

  “Yeah, but you’re on this end, and that’s where I want to be.” When I just lifted my brows at him, he huffed and bent to lift me. Sitting in my spot, he placed me beside him, then slung his arm over my shoulder, keeping me in place. “Ah, that’s better.” Picking up our glasses of milk, he offered me one then took a cookie off the plate on the side table. “Damn, these are good.”

  “Shh, Daddy. I can’t hear,” Josie scolded.

  I smirked at him as he pressed his lips together. Reaching over him, I took two cookies off the plate and gave one to Josie. She smiled her thanks, and we each took a bite before she returned her avid gaze to the television. I knew for a fact that she’d seen this movie over a hundred times, yet she became engrossed in it like it was the first time every single time it was on.

  “Come back here,” Howler groused, tucking me into his side. He kissed the top of my head then got comfortable as he settled in to watch his daughter’s favorite movie for the umpteenth time.

  Tucking my socked feet up under me, I began to relax. Unable to help myself, I stuffed the rest of my cookie in my mouth and finished off my milk before placing the glass on the coffee table in front of us. When I leaned back, I rested my head on his shoulder and wrapped my arm around his waist, snuggling into his warmth as much as possible.

  “Fuck,” he groaned quietly, close to my ear. “This feels like perfection.”

  Smiling, I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation even as I wondered how long our moment would last.

  Halfway through the movie, Josie rested her head on my lap, and I combed my fingers through her hair the way I knew she loved. By the time the movie was over, she was sound asleep.

  Carefully, Howler got to his feet and lifted her into his arms. “Be right back.” But then he paused. “Unless you want to head up to bed now.”

  I stood, picking up our empty milk glasses and the plate that once held a dozen cookies. Josie and I had only had two each, but Howler had finished off the rest. “I have some homework to do before I go to bed,” I told him as I started for the kitchen.

  “Give me ten minutes, and I’ll help you with it.”

  “You don’t have to. I’m sure you’re tired after working all day. You don’t have to entertain me, Howler.”

  “I’ll be back in ten,” he repeated before climbing the stairs.

  Rolling my eyes at his back, I pushed the door open to the kitchen and rinsed the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Our dinner dishes were already in there, so I started the cycle and wiped down the counters before grabbing my books and laptop and going back into the living room.

  I had a paper due the following week, which I was only halfway done with. Opening the file, I read through what I had already written, editing as I went, then continued writing. History was one of the subjects I actually liked, and I had taken a class every semester at every college I’d attended over the past few years. I didn’t need Howler’s help with my homework, but I liked that he wanted to.

  I was lost in what I was doing, so I didn’t even hear him come down the stairs. It wasn’t until he was sitting beside me that I realized he’d returned. “What’s this paper about?”

  “The fall of Constantinople.”

  “I’m going to pretend I know what or who that is,” he muttered.

  Laughing, I finally looked up from my laptop screen. “It was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.”

  “Right, and I’m bored with this topic already.” He picked up the laptop off my legs and placed it on the coffee table. “Come here and make out with me instead.”

  He picked me up just as easily as he had my computer and put me on his lap. I straddled his waist, my hands going to his shoulders to steady myself. I’d changed once we got home, and my running shorts and panties were already damp with my arousal.

  “I-I should really get this paper finished.”

  He stroked his long fingers down my neck, making me shiver. Why did his every touch have to feel so damn good? “There’s plenty of time for that later. Right now, I need another taste.” Cupping the back of my head, he pulled me down until our mouths were only a breath away from touching. “So sweet,” he breathed. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough.”

  “Howler,” I moaned, pressing my wet pussy down on his lap, thrilling at the feel of his hardness pulsing against my core. “Please.”

  With a low, feral growl, he captured my mouth with his. The moment his tongue brushed against mine, I felt light-headed. He tasted like the cookies he had gorged on and something more potently addictive than sugar. Hungrily, I kissed him back. I stabbed my hands through his shaggy, dark-blond hair, desperately trying to make the kiss last forever.

  His huge hands fell to my ass and cupped each hip, squeezing roughly before pressing me down into his hardness even more. A helpless whimper escaped me, only to be swallowed by his continued kiss, and I rubbed myself against him.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he bit out as he pulled back. “We have to take this upstairs because I’m about to go off in my damn jeans.”

  His confession made me stupidly happy. I loved that he didn’t have control over his body with me. “So, take me upstairs,” I commanded.

  “Yes, ma’am.” His hands still gripping my ass, he stood, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. As he climbed the stairs with ease, I attacked his neck, licking and nipping, memorizing how each part of his body tasted.

  “Baby, please. I’m only so strong,” he groaned, his fingers contracting on my ass. “You keep that up, and I’m gonna fuck you up against the wall.”

  “Sorry, I’ll be good,” I lied, sinking my teeth into his earlobe. He shuddered so forcefully, my own body shook.

  A savage curse escaped him, and he took off running, making me giggle as the purest kind of happiness exploded in my chest. This was happening. Howler and I were about to be together, and I couldn’t contain the excitement and joy that were mixing with the intense need that had been consuming me for years.

  The wait had been pure agony, and I still wasn’t sure what would happen come morning, but all I could think about right then was how good it was going to be when Howler physically became a part of me.

  His door was pushed open, then kicked shut, and he sprinted to his bed. My back hit the mattress, and he came down on top of me, his mouth fusing to mine. Our hands busily tore at each other’s clothes, and I heard my shorts rip. Another powerful tug and my panties went with them.

  As soon as the bottom half of my body was exposed, he thrust two fingers into me. I moaned, finally breaking the kiss. I lifted my hips, arching up into his touch as my legs began to tremble. He wasn’t gentle with me; each thrust was rough, desperate almost.

  And I loved it.

  Howler’s thumb grazed over my throbbing clit, and my orgasm hit me.

  “Shh, shh,” he murmured, kissing my brow tenderly even as he continued to thrust his fingers into me roughly, drawing out my release. “I’ve got you, baby.”

  When I could breathe again, I grabbed his head and pulled him in for another kiss. “My turn,” I said with a wicked grin as I slid out from under him.

  “Whatever you want, Lyla.” Rolling onto his back, he spread his arms wide, giving me permission to do anything and everything I’d ever dreamed of doing to and with him.

  Straddling his waist, I pulled my T-shirt over my head then unfastened my bra. The straps fell down my arms. Meeting Howler’s eyes, I let the bra slowly fall away. A hiss escaped him, and I smirked down at him. “Like what you see?”

  “You have no fucking idea.” His callused hands cupped each breast, his rough skin skimming over my hard nipples.

  I moaned his name, my head falling back, but when he started to lift up, I quickly pushed him back down. “Still my turn,” I chided.