Beautiful Storm (San Francisco End Game #1)

CHAPTER TWO

Luke

A melia Rosenberg. Amelia Joy Rosenberg. I roll her name around my mind, matching her stare as her cruel dark eyes bore into mine. This girl…this woman . It’s been years and yet, seeing her rattled feels like a victory.

“Don’t worry your pretty little face.” I bop her on the nose, enjoying the way she crinkles it in disgust. “I’m not missing out on too much fun.” I’m completely bullshitting because I’d much rather be out on that dance floor than stuck in here. But it’s too late now. I may as well make the most of it.

The elevator chimes as Amelia attempts to subtly shrug me off, but when none of the guys move, her eyes flash to the floor number. “Oh, sweetie.” She smiles brightly, keeping her voice bubbly as she walks through the doors presumably realizing it’s her stop. I move to follow but she turns at the last second, placing her palm on my chest. “Don’t be silly.” She giggles, lightly shoving me back inside. “You should keep partying. Drink your little heart out. I insist.”

Nice try, but unfortunately you’re stuck with me. “Not happening, my love. My Joy. ” I grab her hand and pull her against me as I step out, waving to the men behind us when I’d rather flip them off. “Night, gentlemen.”

Amelia doesn’t protest as we move, but the second the doors close, she turns on me, ripping her hand from my grasp. “What the hell are you doing? Why are you here?”

“I’m reluctantly walking you to your door,” I say truthfully, my tone laced with boredom as I signal for her to continue on her way.

Her brow furrows and she eyes me curiously before releasing a whiny little huff and stamping her foot in protest, drawing my attention to her legs. “You say that like I’m making you follow me.”

Ah. Maybe because your actions are. “Just walk,” I groan, as my gaze makes the journey back to her face, lingering momentarily on the way her deep-red dress clings to her body.

“I don’t need to walk,” she snaps, perhaps to get my attention. “I’m here.” She points to the door behind her making me huff out a sarcastic laugh. Of course it’s the room closest to the elevator. “You can fuck off now,” she adds like I’m wasting her time.

I don’t want to be here anymore than she wants me to be. I was walking past, minding my own goddamn business when I saw her stepping into the elevator with a group of guys I know to be bad news. I tried to keep going—I really fucking tried—but I couldn’t let her unknowingly walk into trouble. Yes, she drives me insane, and I’m not ashamed to admit, I’ve pictured her downfall many times before, but I don’t need that kind of guilt on my conscience. It would mess with my good vibes. I’m not that guy.

Instead, I saved her ass. Again .

And this is the thanks I get.

“Go inside, Amelia,” I grate, unmoving.

She pouts, and I’d probably find it endearing if she wasn’t so goddamn annoying.

“What do you think I’m trying to do?” she says. “You’re still here.”

God, do I have to explain it to her? “I’m not leaving until you walk through that door and lock it behind you.”

“Ugh.” She folds her arms over her chest and frowns. “Why do you care?” Her voice holds strong but there’s something new in her expression. Curiosity maybe.

I step forward mimicking her stance, forcing her backward until her ass hits the door. “ Why are you being so stubborn?”

Amelia’s shoulders drop and she bites her lip, drawing my gaze as she brutally tugs on the pink flesh. “Why do you always bring out the worst in me?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper. I open my mouth to remark but she holds up a finger to silence me. “I’m not a mean person,” she continues. “But with you… Ugh.” She groans from the back of her throat and it almost sounds sexual. Especially when she adds, “The things I can picture doing…”

My eyes widen as my cock twitches, forcing me to bite back a grunt. No. Nope. Not happening. There are plenty of women downstairs. And that is not what she meant.

I clench my teeth as unwanted visuals swirl through my mind. Amelia on her knees, her lips wrapped around my cock as she sucks me dry. Amelia naked against a wall, her legs spread as she palms her breasts. Amelia bent over a table… Jesus .

“Go inside , Amelia. Now . Before…” I trail off, shaking my head.

“Before what?” she challenges, her eyes locked on mine as she stares me down, her gaze pushing me to answer.

My hands tighten into fists as I fight my natural instincts. I’m about to tell her to forget it, but she innocently bites her lip again, and fuck, I swear her pupils dilate.

“Before. What?” she repeats slowly, her voice breathy as she steps forward trying to inch me back.

And I’m done .

Fuck it. “This.”

“Wha—” Grabbing her face in my hands, I silence her words with my mouth, sending us both stumbling into the door. A feeling of déjà vu hits me but I push it from my mind. That was another time, another Luke.

Amelia’s lips part, undoubtedly to yell at me, but when I caress her tongue with my own, she melts into me before grabbing my waist and pulling me closer.

The air between us shifts as our mouths mold together, our lips moving in sync, our breathing shallow.

I press into her, and she welcomes me, her grip on my waist tightening as she slowly rocks against me, her movements creating a friction I do not need right now. But fuck if I can stop it.

My cock hardens as I sink my hands into her thick brown hair, eliciting a soft mewl from her lips. I’m acutely aware that we shouldn’t be doing this , but right now, the only thing that concerns me is getting Amelia to scream my name, and it all starts here.

I suck her bottom lip into my mouth and tilt her head, deepening the kiss and stealing her breath as she gasps. Dropping my hand to the hem of her dress, I bunch the material beneath my fist and groan. What I wouldn’t give to taste her.

My grip tightens as I consider my options, but Amelia speaks first, cutting into my thoughts.

“Do you want to come in?” she rasps against my lips, her stare confident when I pull back to look at her.

I think about it for all of two seconds before I lift an eyebrow and nod. “About time.”

Amelia’s eyes narrow but before she can sass me, I cut her off. “Open the door, Joy. Unless you want to come right here. Right now.” And I am not messing around.

“Jesus.”

She roots around in her pocket before finally producing the key to her room and opening her door, dragging me over the threshold. The mood changes the second we’re inside, and I almost laugh at the tension hovering between us. Who knew it was still there.

“I never thought the alpha thing would work for me,” Amelia says, almost incredulously, before her gaze lifts to mine. “But God, that was hot.”

“Thank you.” I smirk as I remove my jacket, letting it drop to the floor. “Though I never thought I’d win you over so easily.”

Her face drops and she forcefully shoves me away. “Fuck you,” she retorts, making me chuckle.

“And she’s back.” I kick the door shut behind me before stalking toward her, sinking one hand into her hair as the other settles at her waist, giving her a squeeze. “I like the snarky version of you. She keeps things interesting.”

Amelia opens her mouth, but just like in the hall, I cut her off with a kiss, instantly swirling my tongue around hers, consuming her as I crowd her.

She moans against my lips before her head falls back and her entire body shivers. She’s unequivocally mine in this moment and she doesn’t even know it.

Wrapping my fingers around her hair, I hold her head in place as I kiss a path along her neck, sucking the heated flesh into my mouth, listening to her breaths quicken as her body begs for more. But just when I think she’s letting me take control, she reaches out and palms my shirt, curling her fingers until her nails bite through the cotton. Marking me. Making me hurt.

I swallow back a groan and continue kissing her, refusing to give her the satisfaction of knowing she affects me.

While I can say with absolute certainty that this was not my intention when I followed her, I’m not complaining. Amelia may be the last person I ever expected to bed, but even I can’t pretend she’s hasn’t aged beautifully. And who am I to turn down a good time?

She’s—

“Where did you go?” she whispers, her voice holding back a giggle as she draws my attention, her hands roaming before she starts undoing my buttons, tugging me forward when I don’t answer.

“What?” I tighten my hold on her hair, pulling her head back as my lips meet her neck again, sucking the flesh below her ear.

“You stopped…moving,” she says breathlessly, her skin pulsing beneath my touch. “Did you…ah…space out a little?”

I drop my hand from her side and reach beneath her dress, skating my fingers along her thigh, feeling her body shake as I move toward her center. “I was thinking about how naive you are,” I lie. “Getting into an elevator with a bunch of guys you don’t know?” When my hand meets her panties, I waste no time running the tip of my finger along the edge of the satin… teasing… loving when she clenches in anticipation.

“You were…thinking?” Amelia tries to sass me again, but despite locking me with her intense stare, her voice comes with a breathy sigh, making me chuckle. “Bad idea,” she continues, finally snapping out of her daze and ripping the shirt from my shoulders like it pains her, her gaze moving to my bare chest. “Did that hurt?” she asks, her voice no longer wavering.

“Thinking?” I raise a brow as shereaches out to touch me, the tips of her fingers gently stroking my abs. “No, that doesn’t hurt.” Dropping her hair, I grab her free hand and raise it above her head, pinning her against the wall as I lean in. “Not as much as touching you does.”

Giving up the teasing, I run a finger through her pussy, holding back my groan when I find her dripping for me.

Amelia sucks in a breath but smiles wide, pretending she’s unaffected. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She fakes a pout but I see through her shameless attempt at keeping her cool. “Should we stop?” She drags her nails across my skin, only pausing when the tips of her fingers dip below my waistband.

“Just try it,” I growl, my cock pulsing when she immediately undoes my belt, not bothering to argue as she works to release my cock. This woman.

With her focus on my pants, I continue to tease her, swirling my finger around her clit, holding her in place as she wriggles and gasps. Her movements quicken and I can’t stop my lips from curling into a smile. There’s something particularly satisfying about knowing she feels the same. Knowing how affected she is. Like me, she can’t walk away now that we’ve started something.

I'm ready for more, but when she still hasn’t released me, I struggle not to laugh. “Are you fighting with my zipper?” I pause, knowing I’m the one distracting her. “Don’t worry, not everyone is perfect.”

“Nobody is perfect, asshole. Least of all you. Less talking. It’s easier to pretend you're someone else.”

"Ouch." I huff out a laugh before rubbing my fingers across her entrance, making her entire body jolt. “Did—”

“If you insist on using that mouth,” she says, cutting me off, her eyes meeting mine in challenge as she lets go of my pants, “I have some suggestions.”

Damn, Amelia . “Dirty talk. I like it.” A lot.

Before she has a chance to say anything else, I drop to my knees and curl my fingers around her panties, dragging the silky material down her legs. With her wet thong on the floor, she holds her knees together as though shy all of a sudden, but I don’t let her dwell on it. Instead, I grab her leg, lifting it to my shoulder as I open her wide, leaning in to lick her. Slowly.

And God, it’s good.

She tastes like that first deliciously satisfying lick of an ice cream you thought you’d never be able to eat.

I’m not going to pretend I’ve never pictured this moment, but it’s been years. Good things do come to those who wait.

I lick her again and her whole body shakes, but it doesn’t feel like one of those this-is-incredible shakes, more of an I’m-going-to-fall shake. Has she never had sex against a wall before?

“I’ve got you, Amelia." I put her at ease. "You won't fall. Just enjoy it.”

The tension in her legs releases, and I smile to myself. She can tell me she hates me as much as she wants, but she just admitted she trusts me without a single word.

After giving her a few seconds to settle, I spread her with my fingers, and flatten my tongue against her soaked center before lavishing her with attention.

Finally getting my fill .

I lick, I tease, I nibble on her clit, doing all that I can to elicit those cries. And God, does she deliver.

She’s a writhing mess above me, struggling to take in air, gasping for pleasure, and I’m desperate for more. I want her screaming my name. I want her to remember me every time someone else attempts to make her feel half as good as I do. Am I cocky? Fuck yes, but it’s not without the knowledge that I’m right.

I don’t know how long I spend devouring Amelia’s pussy, but as her breathing picks up speed, I know she’s close. Her legs shake again, but I hold her still, keeping her steady so she can focus on her needs. On the pleasure I’m giving her.

She cries out, rolling her hips against my face a few times before stopping abruptly, a rushed apology leaving her mouth.

“Fuck, no,” I admonish. “Don’t ever apologize. Take what you need. Ride my face. Suffocate me. I want to feel you when you come for me.”

I suck her clit into my mouth as I mix things up, pumping two fingers inside her. A high-pitched mewl escapes her and she involuntarily bucks into me. But instead of pausing this time, she continues her movements, finally seeking her pleasure.

“That’s it, Amelia. Take it. Fuck my face. Hard.”

“Jesus, Luke,” she moans, her voice higher than usual. “What are you doing?”

“I’m making you feel good. Stop thinking. It’s not good for anyone.”

She pauses again, but this time when she starts moving, I sense a shift. And God, do I like it. Sinking her hands into my hair, she pulls at the strands, locking me against her as her hips pivot in rhythm.

Doing as asked, she fucks my face with abandon as my cock throbs in my pants, begging for action. But it can wait. She needs to finish at least once to ensure she’s ready for me.

I swirl my tongue over her clit and she lets out a high-pitched gasp, forcing me to bite back a groan. Curling my fingers inside her, I brush against her wall as my tongue continues, working her until her body convulses, her walls tightening as she calls out in ecstasy. “God, fuck. Yes.”

That’s it, Ace. Almost there.

She cries out again and… Fuck, did I just think of her as Ace?

I continue my ministrations as her orgasm hits, her center pulsing against me as her ragged breaths fill the air between us. She’s a beautiful mess while I pretend I wasn’t thinking about the nickname I gave her when we were friends, as opposed to the name I bestowed her after she decided she was too good for me.

She grabs my hair, the wall, her breasts, anything she can hold on to as her high overwhelms her, bringing my attention back to the present, her frantic moans hardening my length.

I snap out of my thoughts and focus on her sounds, reading her needs until her breathing slows and I remove my hand, holding her still in case she can’t stand on her own. “Are you satisfied?” I ask, looking up at her from my knees, taking in her flushed cheeks and tangled hair.

“Not even close,” she lies, her lips twisted into a mischievous grin as her breath rushes from her mouth.

“Amelia. Amelia. You are so goddamn beautiful it hurts.” I chuckle under my breath, squeezing her thighs beneath my palms. “If only you weren’t always such a pain in my ass.”

Amelia’s eyes widen but she recovers quickly, giving my head a shove. “A little orgasm isn’t enough to change me,” she rushes out, dropping her foot to the ground before stepping away.

“Maybe not.” I laugh. “But we’re not done yet. Get on the bed.”