Until You (Off-Limits, #1)

by Catharina Maura

She’s far too fucking stunning. Those lips of hers… They’re what fantasies are made of.

Gray leans over me and puts down a cup of English breakfast tea before grabbing the cup of coffee that Riley made me. Gray hands the cup back to Riley, and he takes it reluctantly.

Gray’s grip on my shoulder tightens as he stares Riley down, towering over him. “She doesn’t drink black coffee,” he says, his tone clipped. “And I don’t pay you to stand around chatting shit. Get to work.”

“It’s because I owe Grayson. Some time ago, some asshole made my boyfriend cry. Lucian’s brother wanted to make him disappear, but Lucian is too kind-hearted. He asked his brother to let it go, and that dumb shit actually did. I wasn’t about to let that happen. You don’t make the love of my life cry and get away with it… but I don’t have the right connections. I might be good behind my computer, but real-life stuff like that? I don’t know how to do that. Grayson does. I asked him for a favor, and he called it when he created this team.”

“Gray made someone disappear?” Elliot nods. “Grayson isn’t as simple as you think he is. He’s rougher than most of us are, more heartless. That man… I don’t know what he’s seen, but it can’t have been pretty. His past seems complex and best left hidden.”

Nyx Are you hiding in my room somewhere? Are you creeping on me, Ash? Ash I wish. Oh, to be in your room, Nyx. I can totally imagine myself in your bed, your body against mine. I bet I could win you over if I spent a night with you.

Nyx You’re that confident in your skills in bed, huh? Ash I actually meant that I’d love to talk to you all night, tell you lame pickup jokes that Google taught me, and make you smile. I’d lie there with you, looking into your eyes, learning what makes you tick... But yeah, in case that fails, there’s always my dick. He’s never let me down before. If I can’t win you over, he can.

If I were in bed with you, I’d be keeping that mouth of yours busy, distracting you from your terrible puns.

Ash Baby, I can’t wait to prove you wrong.

She’s always here, always in my space, her presence filling my every thought. She’s at work with me, dazzling my team, and then she’s at home with me, dazzling me. I find myself seeking her out when I shouldn’t, and every day, I look forward to going home and getting to have her to myself.

She’s always meant more to me than she realizes, and she always will.

She sits next to me on her knees; her face far too fucking close to mine as she runs me through the issues she’s facing. All the while, all I can’t think of is how I want her flat on her back, my lips on hers and my cock buried deep inside her. I want my name on her lips. I want what I’ll never have.

“Did you hear?” I whisper. “About Torsis?” Something flickers in his eyes, and my heart starts to hammer in my chest. I swallow hard as I gather my courage. “Was it you?”

“Yes,” he says, taking a step closer to me, and I place my palms on his chest.

“Brad was a fool to mess with you,” he tells me, his thumb stroking the edge of my lips. “A fucking fool. When I saw those tears in your eyes… there’s no way he was going to get away with what he did. No fucking way. No one hurts you and gets away with it. No one. Not on my fucking watch. I will never sit there and watch your heart break, Ari.”

He took my pain and avenged me as if it were his own, never even telling me how much he’s done for me.

I rise to my tiptoes, Gray’s hand slipping away as I press a kiss to his cheek, my lips lingering. His hand wraps around the back of my neck, his thumb resting on my throat as my body melts into his. He turns his face just a little, and my lips brush against his.

“Grayson,” I whisper. “You’re amazing. I don’t know how you did it, but I’m grateful. I shouldn’t be. I shouldn’t be so vicious… but the thought of Brad and my manager not getting away with how they treated me makes me breathe easier.”

I’ve suspected Nyx’s identity for a while now, and if I’m truly honest with myself, I knew from the moment I saw her finish a query using patterns I’d only ever seen in two places before: in Brad’s software, and on the Nemesis Platform.

Fucking hell… is this some sort of joke? A twist of fate? I don’t know what it is, but what I do know is that Aria and Nyx are the same person. The girl of my dreams… is my best friend’s little sister.

Could she be Nyx? If I’m honest, I’ve been imagining Aria’s face every time I think of Nyx. Part of me already expected it to be her, wanted it even.

I’m addicted to Nyx.

now I know who she is, I want more. I want her smiles, her laughter, her passion. I want everything she gives Ash.

Nyx You know how you always tell me you want me in your bed? Tonight I find myself wishing you were in mine.

Ash Hmm, what can I do to make you feel better? If I were with you, I’d take you in my arms and kiss you until I’m all you can think about… but since I can’t be with you, I’ll have to settle for more puns.

Seriously, you’re amazing, and I’m so glad to have met you Ash Me too, baby.

Being in Gray’s arms like this… it’s exactly what I need tonight.

Grayson frowns and leans in, taking my phone from me. “None of that,” he murmurs. “When you’re sitting here with me, I want your attention.”

“Come on,” he says. “There’s nothing a hug won’t make better.” I blush and lean in, wrapping my arms around his neck. Grayson tightens his grip on me and shifts on the sofa, lying down and pulling me along, so I end up on top of him. He places one hand on my lower back while the other finds its way into my hair. My heart starts to race, and I bury my face in his neck. This is just a hug to him, but to me… it’s so much more. The way his body feels against mine, big and hard against my soft curves. Gray has no idea how stupidly handsome he is, how he affects me.

“Ari, you’ve grown into a woman they’d be so proud of. You’re beautiful, clever and kind. You’re everything they could want you to be.”

I glance at Aria from my office, my eyes roaming over her. She looks beautiful today, and I’m not the only one who notices. So far, Riley has dropped by her desk seven times. Seven times, and it isn’t even noon yet.

I loved that blouse on her this morning, but right now, I love it a little less. The possessiveness I feel toward her is unreal.

I want her eyes on me, and no one but me. I want her smiles, her laughter, I want her. I want her to myself.

Ash I’m wondering what you’ll taste like. I want your lips on mine, but that’s not all. I want to know how soft your skin is, how your voice will sound when you moan my name… and I want to know what your pussy tastes like.

dreamt about you last night, and it’s all I’ve been able to think about since. You were smiling at me, your hands pressed against my abs. I pushed you up against the wall, making you feel how hard you make me. You moaned, and I buried my hand in your hair, pulling your face to mine as I kissed you. The way you kissed me back… fuck. My hands roamed over your body and I slipped them underneath your dress, my fingers tracing over the edges of your underwear.

I want to walk over to her and pull her out of her chair to kiss her. Fuck.

Ash I pushed aside the lace you were wearing, my fingers sliding straight into your hot pussy. You were soaking wet for me, Nyx. Such a wet pussy… fuck. You told me you wanted me, your hands undoing my suit trousers. I wanted you naked, but you weren’t patient enough. No, you wanted me deep inside you. So I gave it to you, baby. I gave it to you hard, loving the way you moaned my name. I fucked you from every angle I could think of, until I found one that made your moans a little higher, your pants a little quicker. I fucked you like that, until you came all over my cock, your lips falling open and a beautiful blush on your face.

But I don’t like the idea of her touching herself because of Ash. I want it to be me.

It’s me that gets to hold her, the one she confides in… but it’s Ash that’s got her wet. I hate this, and I hate that this mess is all of my own making.

How the fuck am I jealous of myself?

“You set off the silent alarm, Ari. This house is a fortress. It’s as safe as it’s going to get, sweetheart. You can’t even open the door if you haven’t turned the alarm system off first. Usually I’m the first person up and the last one to go to bed, so I never thought to show you. I’m sorry.”

You’re safe here. But if that isn’t enough, know that you’ll always be safe in my arms, too. I’m here, Ari. I’ll help you keep those thoughts at bay.”

Ash Nyx… hypothetically, what would you recommend I do if I’m left with blue balls by someone who doesn’t even realize what she does to me?

Nyx Hypothetically… you should let her know. Whoever she is, she probably doesn’t even know what you think of her. Maybe she’s second guessing herself, wondering if you’re flirting with her or if she’s reading too much into things. Maybe all she needs is to hear those words.

In my eyes, no one will ever be good enough for you.”

Everything about Grayson confuses me. When I’m around him, I don’t feel broken. I feel like he sees the real me, every single part I keep hidden… He sees it all, and he makes me feel like I have nothing to be ashamed of. When I’m around him, my heart isn’t hurting.

Ash has that effect on me too, but it’s mostly because he doesn’t know who I am, because I get to show him the best sides of me. Grayson, on the other hand… he sees me, the real me, and he never makes me feel like I’m not enough, or like I’m too much.

“We’ve been moving so much faster since you joined the team, Aria. You’re doing really well. We’re back on track to hit our deadline now, and when you joined, we were three months behind. Keep doing what you do. We’re lucky to have you.”

“The world doesn’t revolve around you, Riley.” He crosses his arms and grins at me. “Do you want to bet I can rock your world, though?” I mirror his posture and stare him down. “Do you want to bet I’ll report you to HR if you so much as try?”

The mere idea of her with Riley annoys me.