The Tie That Binds: A Marriage of Convenience Novel

Itwist and turn in bed, unable to fall asleep. Daniel has been keeping his distance from me, the way he always used to at his mum’s house. It’s unsettling. It feels like we’ve taken twenty steps back. He didn’t even question me about what Dominic and I spoke about, and he didn’t voice the slightest bit of displeasure when Dominic pulled me into his bedroom.

I guess this is why I dreaded coming back here. Because Daniel is an entirely different person here. He feels so distant. So out of reach.

I hesitate and then slip out of my bed. He wasn’t that mad when I sneaked into his bedroom last night. Tonight I don’t have an excuse, but I’m hoping he won’t question me. I’m hoping he’s missing me too.

I glance around the silent hallway and then tiptoe into his bedroom. The room is pitch black and my eyes are struggling to adjust. I blink a couple of times and carefully walk to Daniel’s bed, taking tiny steps to make sure I don’t bump into anything. I sigh in relief when my knees hit his mattress.

I tug on his blanket and slip into his bed, my body hitting his. He wakes up suddenly and grabs my arms. He turns me over and pins me down with such force that I whimper. He looks enraged. The anger in his eyes dissipates when he realises it’s me.

“Alyssa, it’s you,” he whispers, obviously relieved. He lets go of me and turns onto his back, inhaling deeply.

“Who else would it be?” I ask, suddenly suspicious. I have a sinking feeling that I’m not the only girl that’s ever tried to sneak into his bed while sleeping over at Mary’s.

“No one,” he replies. “I was just surprised. I was fast asleep.”

I nod uneasily.

“What brings you here?” he asks, sounding far too formal. Far too distant.

“I — I couldn’t sleep.”

Daniel chuckles. “So you thought you’d get into my bed? You could’ve just shaken me awake, you know.”

I blush. How clueless is he? “Ah, yeah,” I murmur.

Daniel turns onto his side and looks at me tenderly. I scoot closer to him and to my surprise he shuffles back, maintaining distance between us.

Dominic’s words ring through my mind, an unwelcome reminder. The only way he’ll sleep with you is if at some point it’s convenient. If he’s got an itch to scratch. It won’t be out of desire or blinding lust, like his weekend girls.

Just lying next to him makes it nearly impossible for me to keep from touching him. A single kiss has me soaking wet, yet he actually moves away from me when I try to get close?

“You must be enjoying this visit back home. Would you like to come back every weekend?” he asks.

Fuck no. I love Mary, but I don’t want to be here if he’ll turn into a stranger every time we set foot in this house. I sit up, distraught.

“Why do you move away from me? Am I that repulsive to you? You seemed fine kissing me yesterday, so what happened? Do you regret it?”

Daniel sits up and stares at me with wide eyes. “Repulsive? What kind of bullshit is that? No, of course not. It’s just… being here is weird. Besides, I saw you walk into Dominic’s bedroom earlier. You spent hours in there with him.”

I shove against his chest but barely manage to move him. I shove him again with all my strength and he captures my hands in his, keeping them against his chest.

“What’s going on?” he asks, more confused than annoyed.

“You… you just infuriate me,” I snap.

He looks at me with raised brows. “I infuriate you?” He huffs, a sliver of emotion finally escaping his armour. “You’re the one that spent hours with my brother while ignoring me, but I infuriate you?”

I exhale in relief. My worst fear is him not caring at all. I can deal with jealousy and anger, but I can’t deal with indifference.

I smile at him and throw myself on him. He falls onto his back and I lower my lips to his. He freezes when I kiss him, but I don’t let that deter me. He’s already pushing me away. What else do I have to lose?

I tangle my legs with his and scrape my nails across his scalp. I melt against him when he finally kisses me back. He buries his hands in my hair and pulls tightly as he kisses me without abandon. I let my hands roam over his body and slip my fingers down his boxers before he has a chance to stop me. I gasp against his lips when my fingers curl around his erection. He’s fucking huge and thick. He’ll never fit inside me. Daniel moans into my mouth and trembles as I move my hand up and down, but he doesn’t stop me.

“Baby, you drive me insane,” he whispers. He starts to tug on my nightgown and I let go of him to let him take it off.

“You too,” I whisper. Daniel pauses and stares at me as though he’s trying to make sure I know what I’m asking for, and then he tugs off his pyjama bottoms. “These too,” I snap, pushing down his boxers. He chuckles and presses a quick kiss to my lips before shrugging out of them. He lies back on top of me naked and I moan in delight. His lips find mine and he kisses me deeply, grinding his hips against mine. We’re only separated by the panties I’m wearing, and I long to push them aside. Every time he slides up against me, he pushes into me the tiniest bit, as much as the fabric allows him to. It drives me insane.

I’m panting and bucking against him. All I want is to feel him slide into me. I groan in frustration when he moves down to tease my nipples with his tongue. I lift my hips in a silent bid for more, but he merely chuckles against my skin. He swirls his tongue around my nipple and I arch my back, pushing more of my breast into his face.

“Please, Dan,” I whisper. I pull on his hair and he finally moves back to my lips.

The way he kisses me has me panting and ready to burst. He slowly moves his hand down my body, his lips never leaving mine.

I moan loudly when he trails a finger over my soaking wet panties. “Fucking hell, baby. Your pussy is soaking wet,” he groans. He pushes my panties to the side and slides a finger deep into me.

“Oh fuck, yes… Daniel.”

I bury my face into his neck and place my lips against his ear as he pulls his finger back out and over my clit. My entire body tenses as he teases me. He lifts himself up on one arm and looks down at me as he touches me.

“So fucking wet for me, Alyssa. I could slip right into you, baby.”

My eyes close under the intensity he looks at me with, a blush slowly extending across my cheeks.

“I’m always wet for you, Daniel.”

He groans and kisses me roughly while my own hands find his throbbing hardness. He twitches in my hand as I move up and down, my grip tight.

“Baby, you’ve got me ready to come for you like a horny teenager. You gotta ease off with those hands of yours,” he pleads. I grin up at him and shake my head. He looks at me through narrowed eyes and pushes two fingers into me while stroking his thumb over my clit. My lips fall open and I moan loudly as he pushes me towards an orgasm.

“Daniel, no. Oh God. I can’t take it, please. Dan… Fuck.”

I let go of him and instead wrap my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life. I don’t know where he’s touching inside me, but it’s incredibly sensitive. Combined with the way he’s stroking my clit, it’s almost too much. I’ve never felt such intensity before, and I’m panting and moaning.

“Please, Dan. Please, baby. Please,” I whimper, not even sure what I’m asking for. Daniel increases his pace until it’s all too much and I erupt. My entire body shakes and he smothers my moans with his lips. He doesn’t pull his fingers away until the last ripple passes through my body. I collapse against the mattress and look at him in equal parts bliss and shock. “Wow,” I whisper.

He kisses me gently. “Wow indeed,” he says, smiling smugly. I blush and pull him down, loving his weight on me. He gets comfortable as I wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly. I brush my lips against his ear. “My turn,” I whisper. Daniel chuckles and shakes his head, not budging.

“No. Now we sleep, beautiful.”