Concede (The Diamond Empire Book 1) Kathy Coopmans (good beach reads .TXT) 📖

to dinner, show every man around me that the beauty across from me was mine. But the longer it took you to come home, the more I realized how wrong it is of me to assume you might see past the man I am, the man I used to be, and want me for the man you make me want to be. I asked you a question last night in the kitchen. I want my answer. Just so you know, if you tell me, you don’t want me. That, in time, you won’t open up and give me everything, then that’s it. You have one minute to concede, or I’m walking out the door forever. I’m done with this game.”

My pulse hammers, my heart jumping into my throat. Jealousy strikes again, this time, rearing her ugly head over other women, possibly touching what’s mine. My cheeks blaze when I think about him doing to others what he’s done to me, what I want him to continue doing to me.

It’s devastation and unruly and primal.

“Are you asking if I want to be with you?”

“Yeah, I am. I want it all with you, and when you catch up to how I feel about you. When you trust me completely, I’m savoring every goddamn day with you. Thirty seconds, Victoria. Tell me to walk away. If you don’t, I’m going to worship your body before I fuck you where you stand.”

I stumble backward until my back hits the wooden door, inhaling deep, heart-pounding hard—hands planted flat at my sides. Desire whips up inside me. My body explodes into flames, feeding the hunger I have for Seth. This is the man I had that night. The man who took what he wanted as he repeatedly told me how beautiful I was. How much he wanted me.

Tremors vibrate beneath my feet when Seth stealthily and predatorily walks toward me. He doesn’t say anything when he stops. Instead, he stares down at my face. Standing so close, I want to downcast my gaze to the floor. My legs are shaking, and I’m slightly off-balance, but I lock my eyes on the way he holds me captive.

“Seth, I want.” His sharp intake of breath cuts me off, confusion clotting my mind.

His stare drops to my mouth, head tilting as he closes the tiny bit of space between us, reaches up, and cups my cheek in his palm. His cocky demeanor is gone and in its place is adoration.

“Do you realize that’s the second time since we’ve met you’ve called me by my name? The first was last night and said in anger.”

“What?” That’s all I can get out around the knots in my throat. We’ve been around one another four or five times a year growing up. Several times a week when I moved to Houston, and I’ve not once said his name?

That can’t be.

“It’s true, but unless you tell me to leave, you’ll scream my name, beg me to ease the ache between your legs by saying my name, over and over by the end of the night. I won’t ever get tired of hearing it. Give in to me, angel.” The bold and brash words glide from his tongue.

I know precisely how giving in to him would go. Dark, dirty, and dangerous with staggering, incredible, mind-blowing pleasure.

“Okay,” I whisper, squeezing my thighs together.

“You’re going to have to give me more than just an okay. I want your fire. Your honesty. I want you to tell me what you—”

Like a flash of lightning, I’m on him before he finishes. My mouth seeking his. My hands gripping on to the lapels of his jacket. My body is aching, my core pulsing in need for him to take me any way he wants.

A groan rumbles up from his chest and flies out of his mouth when I bite his tongue lightly, then sucking it into my mouth.

Big hands wrap around my neck and slide up into my hair.

Possessively.

Embers stir in my body.

The buzz only he’s been able to give me ignites every nerve and heats my skin. I moan, fingers crawling up his chest and wrapping around his neck.

He strokes my tongue, my mouth as if I didn’t break down last night. As if I wasn’t fragile. That pleases me more than he’ll know.

I’m weak, but I wouldn’t be able to handle anyone except myself treating me as such.

“I want you. All of you,” I breathe into his mouth.

I surrender.

The white flag is waving and falling out of my hand.

He groans and places his hands on my cheeks.

“You aren’t alone anymore, and neither am I. Tell me you believe I won’t walk away? Tell me you believe I want more than sex?” he asks softly, running his thumbs back and forth gently for several seconds before backing away and bending down to remove his shoes and socks.

His words hang in the air, his eyes daring me to deny it.

“I believe it.” And I do.

Seth’s eyes stay glued to mine, a victorious smile curling up those talented lips as he works his tie free, shucks out of his jacket, and drops them to the floor. Then unbuttons his shirt as I watch him strip slowly, and when his shirt hits the floor, my pulse spikes to a dangerous level.

Chiseled stone and artful perfection. I want to lick him everywhere.

Appreciation must play out across my features for a moment before his smile turns wicked, gaze trailing up and down my body in a ravenous kind of way, making me squirm.

“Be sure about this, angel. I will own you after this. No man will ever touch what’s mine again. Won’t ever let you go,” he challenges, giving me one last time to tell him no.

“Yes, I’m sure.” I’m going to leap. Take a chance and hope my heart doesn’t end up splattering all over the place. Because in time, I’m going to fall deeply in love with Seth.

I’m halfway there.

“Seth.” My voice sizzles in the air. I need him to touch