Alex (BIG Northwest Book 2) Read online

  Edward pushed up to a sitting position, his breath coming in choppy heaves. He shoved one hand in her hair, gripping tight as he pulled her lips back to his.

  She grabbed his face with one hand, holding him as tight as he held her, unwilling to let him think he was in charge of anything.

  The way he kissed was just as stupid as everything else about him. It was somehow both forceful and careful. Aggressive but cautious.

  Fucking Edward.

  His hand spanned the back of her head, holding it tight. Tight enough she was sure he wouldn’t want to let go.

  Alex tried to pull back.

  And the motherfucker let her, his eyes immediately opening to rest on hers as she broke the kiss.

  Fucking Edward.

  She used the space to pull his shirt up between them, trying to rip it as she did.

  He could buy another one.

  Edward lifted his long arms, letting her shuck it in one yank.

  The site of his naked chest was as infuriating as it was impressive. One more perfect thing to add to the list pissing her off. “What’s wrong with you?” She pushed against him, shoving him down to the thick pile of the rug.

  “Lot’s of things, Al.” He grabbed her shirt, using it to pull her down against him. “I’m sure you have a list going.”

  “I do.” She yelped as he rolled across the carpet, barely managing to make a full rotation before their bodies bumped into the coffee table. “It’s long.”

  “I look forward to seeing the spreadsheet on it.” He sucked the lobe of her ear between his teeth. “I know how you love spreadsheets.”

  “Not as much as you love yourself.” She tried to force Edward back into the box she built for him. The one meant to contain any stupid thoughts brought on by his too-handsome face and too-toned body.

  “We’re going to have to work on your vocabulary, Al. Confidence and arrogance aren’t the same thing.” Edward’s shoulder bumped the iron-edged coffee table. “Damn it.” He pushed up to his knees, wrapping one arm around her waist. “Hold on tight, Al.”

  Her body lurched up, legs and arms dangling as he hefted her up.

  Edward grunted. “I said hang on.” He bounced her body a little as his other arm came to aid the first. “It’s not easy to get two bodies up off the ground.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can walk on my own.”

  Edward managed to get upright. “First of all, no you can’t.” He bounced her again, this one sending her legs around his waist so it didn’t feel like she was about to hit the floor. “Second, how sexy is it to make you walk all the way to your room?” He started down the hall. “It’s basically like making you walk across town, remember?”

  “Are you trying to say something, Ed?”

  He dumped her onto her bed for the second time today, only this time he didn’t leave her there.

  Edward crawled over her, prowling across the mattress. “Was I supposed to time how long it took me to make it to your bedroom?” He leaned in to run his lips down her neck. “You might want to add it to your spreadsheet.”

  “You’re an awful man.” She grabbed the front of his pants with both hands and pulled his body to hers.

  “I’ll be sure not to get any of my awful on your pretty sheets.” The fingers of one hand worked up the hem of her shirt. “What are we doing here, Al?”

  “Probably something disappointing.” She shoved her hand into the elastic waist of his pants, finding the length of his dick. “Oh for the love of—“ She pulled the waistband out and stared down into the opening. “Seriously?”

  Edward tipped his head to look where she was looking. “Not a reaction I’ve gotten before.”

  “Well it should be.” Alex shoved at his pants. “That thing is as stupid as everything else about you.” She was hoping for a little dick.

  At least one with a weird kink in it or something.

  But like everything else, Edward’s penis was about as perfect as it got. Long and thick. Smooth and straight. Even the head of it was pretty. Perfectly shaped and proportioned.

  Edward slid down, far enough away she lost her grip on his pants. He nipped at the skin of her belly, making her jump. “Did you just bite me?”

  “Did you think I was all bark, Al?” He pushed her shirt up the rest of the way, baring her belly and breasts. His mouth immediately found a nipple, the flat of his tongue stroking in slow swipes as his hands tugged down the cotton pajama pants she pulled on after she showered. His mouth continued to suck and lick at her as he tossed them across the room.

  His fingers found her clit the second his teeth scraped her skin, raking over the nipple he’d worked to an aching peak.

  Alex sucked in a breath. Edward was supposed to not be good at this. He was supposed to be the kind of man who never had to work for sex and just thought he got to get his dick out and shove it in there.

  But Edward’s dick kept moving farther south, farther from the place it should want to be. Alex tipped her head up as his lips moved down her belly. “What are you doing?”

  Edward’s dark eyes lifted to hers. “I feel like that should be pretty obvious, Al.”

  “But—“

  The words strangled off in her throat as his lips locked onto her clit, sucking it gently as his fingers eased into her.

  “Damn it.” Her head fell back as he lapped at her, his fingers setting a rhythm that had her rocking to meet their slow thrust. He worked her up to the edge fast, each move perfectly executed and perfectly timed.

  Just as she was about to come his hand and mouth pulled away, leaving her hanging on the most awful of ledges. “What the fuck?” Her head snapped up. “Are you trying to punish me?” She lifted her head to catch Edward digging through the top drawer of her nightstand. “What are you doing?”

  His brows lifted. “I was looking for a condom.” He pulled out her small, stainless steel vibrator. “But I found something much more interesting.”

  “Put that back.” She reached for the personal item he whipped out like he had any right to be going through her things. “What is wrong with you?”

  “There’s one more to add to your spreadsheet, Al.” Edward continued digging through the drawer, the vibrator tucked into his palm. “There you are.” He pulled out a condom. “I like your forethought, Al.”

  “Those aren’t there for you.” She wanted the comment to sting, injure his pride a little.

  But Edward’s lips pulled into a smile as he ripped open the condom, that damn vibrator still in his hand. “Looks like they are now.” He rolled it down his stupid dick as he dropped over her, catching himself with one hand pressed into the mattress beside her head.

  The low buzz of her vibrator hummed between them.

  “What are you doing?” Her heart race picked up as the smooth steel slid down her belly.

  “I think you know what I’m doing.” He rolled it across her pubic bone. “Question is, are you going to stop me?”

  The last bit hung in the air.

  The bastard was still willing to stop. Still willing to pack his dick up and take it home.

  And that sort of pissed her off. Not because she still wanted him to be the asshole she expected.

  But because he was so ready and willing to stop something she wasn’t as inclined to see end.

  “If you stop now I will set your camper on fire the next time I lock you in it.”

  His lips lifted in a smile. “That’s fantastic news.”

  The vibrator slid lower, resting right against her clit as the head of his stupid dick pressed into her, the length of him stretching her in a way that sent her eyes rolling closed and her back arching.

  She wasn’t one of the lucky women who could get off on fucking alone which meant the first time she was with a guy usually sucked.

  She should have known Edward would be the exception. He probably did it just to piss her off.

  His hips set a steady pace, rocking his body into hers as his lips skated over her
skin, finding their way over her breasts, pausing to suck each nipple on their way to rest against her ear. “How’s it going, Al?”

  “Acceptably.” Even that one word was almost impossible to get out as the vibrator tucked between their bodies picked up where his tongue left off, bringing her to the brink so fast it made her head spin.

  Or maybe the room was spinning.

  Something was spiraling out of control.

  Definitely not her though.

  “Don’t stop.” Alex dug her nails into his back, trying to keep him from getting away.

  From stealing this all-consuming pleasure.

  Edward groaned in her ear as he thrust deep, his hips meeting her body with each move. “I will if you ask me to.”

  “I’ll kill you and make it look like an accident.” She held him tighter, lifting her hips to meet his next thrust.

  “Fuck, Al.” Edward’s voice was tight. “Don’t do that again.”

  She did it again. If he was going to make her miserable, she was going to do the same thing to him.

  A low growl rumbled through his chest. “Stubborn woman.” The vibrator on her clit started to move, rubbing from side to side.

  Almost immediately her thighs started to shake, her impending climax refusing to be stalled any longer. “Edward.” His name was a curse as it came out of her lips, dragging out as her pussy clenched around him, his name ending on a wail cut short by Edward’s hand clamping over her mouth.

  He grunted against her skin, one nipple pulled in his mouth as he jerked against her, his release chasing right after hers.

  Alex’s arms fell to the mattress at her sides. Her legs dropped open, weak and unable to maintain any sort of upright position. She rolled her eyes to where Edward easily worked his way to the edge of the bed. “What the hell was that?”

  Edward grabbed a couple tissues from the box on her nightstand and used them to snap the spent condom free. He gave her a lopsided grin. “It’s like everything else, Al.” He backed toward the bathroom. “It’s whatever you want it to be.”

  ****

  ALEX PRIED ONE eyeball open and looked around her room.

  She sat up straight, catching the blankets as they started to fall, pulling them out and away from her naked body. “Hell.”

  “Morning, sunshine.” Edward stood in the doorway of her bedroom, completely dressed in his normal attire. He lifted a brow at her. “Hungry?”

  “No.” The lie came out immediately. It was a knee jerk reaction she should have been expecting.

  She accidentally fucked Edward.

  As accidentally as one can fuck.

  “Shit.” She fell back, pulling the covers over her head. Not because she was embarrassed or filled with regret.

  The problem had more to do with her not being those things.

  “Something wrong, Al?” Edward didn’t seem to be bothered at all by her reaction to the morning.

  “Nope. I’m fine.” She kept the blankets where they were. Maybe she could wait him out. Then take a minute to figure out where in the hell she went from here.

  “Then get your ass out of bed. We’ve got work to do.”

  Alex flipped the covers down. “Don’t think that just because you got me off I’m going to do what you say.”

  His lips twitched.

  She held her breath waiting for his smile.

  Maybe hoping for it.

  “Don’t think that just because I’ve seen you naked I’m going to cut you any slack.” He made the hurry up motion with his pointer finger. “Put a wiggle in it. We have a list of shit to get done today.”

  She straightened a little. “Like what?”

  “I’ve got a mock up for the logo I want you to look at. We need to go over what you want covered on the website. Then there’s the Facebook page you started but didn’t finish filling in.”

  “I sprained my ankle.” She grabbed at the blankets, trying to work one free so she could use it to walk to the closet.

  Alex eyed Edward where he still stood in the doorway to her bedroom, happily dishing out all the things she needed to accomplish.

  Like she wasn’t completely aware of all the work waiting for her.

  She jerked the covers off, throwing them to one side as she swung her feet over the edge of the bed and pushed up. Her injured ankle was less sore this morning, so she was able to sort of manage a casual-looking walk to the closet. Edward’s dark eyes followed her the whole way, staying on her as she tried to torment him with...

  What?

  Something he couldn’t have?

  No freaking way. The man was too good at it for her to even try to pretend she wouldn’t give it to him again.

  She wasn’t stupid.

  “I feel like you’re trying to make us late, Al.” Edward hadn’t moved from his spot in the doorway, but his eyes also hadn’t moved from their spot on her body. “And I promised your sisters I would have you in the office by nine.”

  “Nine?” Alex’s eyes snapped to the alarm clock she never had to set. “Holy shit. It’s a quarter till.”

  She never slept past six.

  Never.

  Alex pointed a finger right at him. “This is your fault.” She wagged the accusatory finger around. “You and all your,” her brain couldn’t come up with a word, “man parts.”

  Edward chuckled as he leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms over the wide chest she might have drooled on in her sleep. “If you put a wiggle in it maybe I’ll bring them out again tonight.”

  She glared at him. “Maybe I don’t want you to bring them out again.” She scrunched her face at him. “Maybe once was enough.”

  “If once was enough then you wouldn’t have already gone back for seconds, Al.”

  “You.” She yanked a shirt free of its hanger. “You’re such an—”

  “Asshole.” He turned, walking down the hall. “I know.”

  She grabbed a pair of pants that would go well with flats and wrestled her way into the clothes, strapping the brace on her foot over the skinny line of the pale-pink ankle pants, before slipping her other foot into a houndstooth-print ballet flat. By the time she put in a pair of earrings and shook out yesterday’s curls Edward was back, holding an insulated bag in one hand. “Ready?”

  “I guess.” Alex grabbed her crutches, starting with both but ending up with just one by the time they were at the door. “What’s in the bag?”

  “Your breakfast.” He opened the door and waited while she worked her way out. “I’m not dealing with you the way you are plus being hungry.”

  Alex stopped at the top of the steps leading down to the sidewalk. She tried to figure out the logistics of the descent, but before she could come up with the best plan of attack, Edward scooped her up, hefting her down and setting her back on her feet at the bottom.

  “I could have done it.”

  “Sure you could have, but like I’ve been saying we’ve got shit to do.” Edward started walking, his pace slow as she hobbled along at his side. By the time they made it across the grassy span to her office it was after nine.

  Edward opened the door, standing back as she walked in to find all her sisters inside. Charlie sat on one of the deep green chairs she helped Alex find and reupholster. “You’re late.” Her mouth turned down in a frown. “How’s your ankle?”

  “Sprained.” Alex gimped to her chair, dropping into it and propping her crutch to one side as she looked around the room. “What are you all doing here?”

  Sam’s cool gaze leveled on where Edward stood in the doorway. “Apparently we need to come decide on some things.” She lifted her brows at him. “Get on with it, slick. I’ve got work to do.”

  Edward came to Alex’s desk, setting the bag he carried right in front of her before opening a file she hadn’t noticed.

  Alex’s eyes fell to the paper inside, staying for a heartbeat before snapping up to find Edward watching her closely.

  “What is that?” Charlie leaned over her shoulder, pee
ring at the design.

  “It’s a potential logo. Just a starting point. Joe can change anything you don’t like or he can do something completely different.” Edward was only talking to her, his attention focused only on her face. “I will make whatever you want happen.”

  Alex dropped her eyes back to the paper.

  Frankie rested one hand against the top of her desk as she grinned down at the logo. “It’s fuckin’ amazing.” She straightened. “I love it.”

  Danny’s lips curved in a little smile. “It’s pretty great.”

  “What will we use this for?” Sam stepped in closer, her arms crossed as she studied the print.

  “Your social media. T-shirts. Coffee cups. Packaging. Anything you want, really.” Edward finally pulled his eyes from Alex to study Sam. “What do you think?”

  Sam’s arms were crossed over her chest. She shrugged one shoulder. “It’s fine.” She stood a little taller. “I’m going back to work.”

  “Charlie? What about you?” Alex glanced at her sister. “Do you like it?”

  Charlie rolled her lips inward, rubbing them together for a second before breaking into a wide smile. “I think it’s amazing.” She turned her grin on Edward. “You did a good job.”

  “Wasn’t me. I just gave Joe an idea. He ran with it.” Edward eased down into the vacant chair across from her desk.

  “I can’t wait to see it on things.” Charlie turned to Alex. “When can we see it on things?”

  Alex looked to Edward.

  “In the next few days.”

  Charlie bounced a little. “Okay.” She smacked her hands together in a tiny clap. “Yay.”

  Alex waved as her sisters left, going back to their own work. When she and Edward were alone she faced him.

  “What do you think, Al?”

  Her eyes fell to the logo. She couldn’t stop looking at it.

  “It’s perfect.”

  EIGHT

  IT WAS A stab in the dark.

  Maybe not the complete dark.

  “I’m glad you like it.” Edward leaned forward to nudge the packed breakfast he brought closer to Alex’s elbow. “Joe can change anything you don’t like. The color can be different. The fonts. Whatever you want.”