Break Me Slowly (Shattered 1)

If this was a game, Adam held the advantage…

~

I held on to my clutch as the limo bumped along the streets of Chicago. Emma and I had exchanged numbers. I liked her so much already. Very blunt, but sweet. She reminded me a lot of Megan, only with more edges. Plus, she had to deal with Adam on a regular basis, so it was nice to see a female able to tackle the feat and still have a full head of hair.

I didn’t even realize we had stopped in front of Adam’s penthouse. He got out and offered me his hand.

“Aren’t you going to take me home?”

“No.” He guided me through the doors and into the elevator. “I was hoping you’d stay with me tonight.”

The thought made me happy. That warm and fuzzy happy. And I needed that. I had held it together through the event, but the truth was, I didn’t know how to handle these feelings. Assurance was something I’d need constantly until I gained enough emotional ground and security for this situation.

I didn’t know if it was even fair to ask that of Adam. The way he looked at me right then spoke volumes. We had just been surrounded by some of the most beautiful women in the world, yet Adam Kinkade had taken me home and wanted me in his bed.

He leaned in and kissed me. Softly and gently. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered against my lips.

“How do you do that?”

The elevator opened into Adam’s foyer and we walked through.

“Do what?”

“You seem to…read my mind.”

He shook his head. “I read your body. I’ve told you before you’re very expressive. I can tell how you hold yourself, when you tense, how your brow starts to strain.” He touched my forehead and I immediately relaxed my frown. “You give off cues that tell me when you’re troubled, over thinking…” He clutched my hips and pulled my body into his. “And when you’re wanting.”

His hard c**k pressed against my stomach and I arched. I did want him. Wanted that connection and that crazed feeling of obsession. It was never enough. The moment he was inside me was like finding the rest of myself, and when we parted, I thought of him all day, missing him before he’d even gone.

I was falling, and there was nowhere for me to land. Ever since Adam had come into my world, he’d clipped all the safety nets away.

“Come with me.” He grabbed my hand and led me to his master bath. It was large and lavish. With the overall modern theme, the fixtures were all black wood and gray steel. The shower took up an entire corner. It wasn’t enclosed, nor did it have a door. Glossy bricks of dark marble spread from the floor and up the wall. A massive waterfall shower head hung from the ceiling. Off to the right was a Jacuzzi tub. The vanity and mirror took up the entire opposite wall.

Adam started the shower, then his hands were back on me, unfastening my dress.

He kissed me as the zipper slipped down my back. “I want to shower with you.”

I caught the bodice before it fell from me and took a step back. “I can’t. You go ahead. I’ll just throw on a T-shirt and wait in the bedroom, if you don’t mind.”

“You don’t want to shower with me?”

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to. Last time I was over, I’d passed out with all my makeup on. Sure, I’d probably looked like a train wreck in the morning, but I got to go home first thing and shower there.

I couldn’t get my face wet in front of Adam.

“I’ve seen all of you, you know,” he said, pulling and loosening his tie. I started salivating watching him undress. Just his tugging on that thin, black piece of silk was sexy.

“I know. I just…I just don’t feel like it.”

My heart sank as soon as the words came out. I wanted to be with him. Skin to skin. Water falling between us. But the remnants that my mother’s talons had left behind were not something I wanted him to see.

His tie hung around his neck. He worked open his shirt buttons. Every square inch of skin he uncovered entranced me further. He was strong as stone, masculine and powerful. Once his chest was bare, he reached out and tilted up my chin. My eyes met his.

“Lover.” He held out his hand, beckoning me give up the death grip I had on my dress. “Please.” His words were fierce, uttered like a command, but he had asked instead.

I was helpless against it. He’d probably see the scars sooner or later. I had just been hoping for later.

I let my dress fall to the floor. I felt every caress of his eyes over my skin. Cool air rushed over my ni**les and they instantly hardened. Adam’s gaze was slow as he moved those baby blues up and down my body until my sex throbbed and I wanted to squirm. Never taking his stare from me, he undid his pants and finished undressing.

He took my hand. I was trembling and it had nothing to do with the cold. He stepped under the spray, his eyes still remaining on me. Water fell around him. The man was a god. His eyes burned bright against the soft glow of light. His black hair hung damp around his brow and ears. Tanned skin and rock-hard planes of muscles were sculpted by water drops slipping down his body. His shoulders eased, the tightness of his day was washed away, and I had never seen a more beautiful man.

I wanted to kneel before him and take all that impressive length into my mouth again. I wanted him to make love to me while water rained down on us...

First I had to get in.

He held his hand out for me to join him. He must have known I was nervous, because he didn’t push me. Didn’t rush. He just stood and waited.

I slid my palm into his and entered. He gently pulled me against him and the water cascaded down. I hung my head and turned, giving him my back. He let me.

Heat radiated. It wasn’t just the water, it was him. I could almost hear his brain ticking. He obviously wanted to know what my problem was. But he didn’t speak. Instead, he poured shampoo onto my hair and began lathering. His fingers worked my scalp and massaged me into a lethargic state. The press of his fingertips, followed by the gentle scratch of his nails, sent shivers skating across my skin. He let the water rinse away the suds, then ran conditioner through the strands.

“You have the most beautiful hair I’ve ever seen.”

When the conditioner was rinsed away, I ran my fingers under my eyes. My mascara must be running, but that was the least of my worries.

Tears stung and I tried to fight them. Tried to shake away the memories. The fear of what Adam would think when he saw me like this. Would he ask me to leave? Would he think I was ugly?

Every day I looked in the mirror and knew what was there. Though I told myself it was better for him to find out now, I still tensed to run. It was too much to risk. His rejection would devastate me.