The Beat and The Pulse Box Set 2

by Amity Cross

  “I’m not a good guy, Callie.” He glanced away. “I’ve hurt people I should’ve protected, I…” he trailed off, and his jaw tensed. “Not like your firefighter buddy.”

  I scowled. “What are you talking about?”

  His entire disposition began to darken. “I saw you.”

  “Saw me when?”

  “Today. At your shop. You were doing that awkward thing you do.”

  “Awkward thing I do?” I exclaimed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You did it on Friday, and you did it just before.” He sighed and bit his bottom lip. “I’m beginning to believe you do it when you like someone. Your cheeks turn red, and you stumble over your words…”

  “I’m not awkward,” I lied. “And there’s nothing going on with Justin.”

  “So you’re on first name basis.” He scowled, and my mouth fell open in shock. He actually gave me a dirty look for talking to the firefighter.

  “So?” I pouted.

  Mark grunted and reached for his beer. “He’s well adjusted. He’d be a good choice.”

  “Ugh,” I declared. “You’re so frustrating.”

  “I know.”

  Who the hell knew if his bravado was all for show or if it was who he really was. The mystery just deepened the more I got to know the guy. Any answer he gave just led to more questions. It was becoming more infuriating than frustrating. I would slap him, but it looked like someone else had already beaten me to it.

  “So you fight illegally,” I began, rattling off the things I did know. “You put yourself down constantly, you push people away with your smartassery, you look like a fucking underwear model, and you save random women from burning buildings. Are you a run-of-the-mill douche? Or are you just the by-product of a shitty hand of cards?”

  His expression twisted, and he looked as if he was in a great deal of pain. Was he that torn up? Over what? The night of the fire, I’d looked into his eyes and seen a sadness that almost frightened me. A deep pain I knew nothing about.

  “You have to let go of it sometime,” I murmured, suddenly aware of how close we’d become. “Eventually, it’ll eat you all up, and what then?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. Justice?”

  “Justice? For what?”

  “I walked over people to get to the top, but I crashed and burned before I even got there. I was ruthless and didn’t care who I hurt.”

  “Maybe it’s not about getting what you think you deserve,” I countered. “Maybe it’s about making up for it.”

  “How?” His hand came to rest on my knee, and I squirmed.

  “By being a better person. By being nice. By being selfless. By being conscious of…”

  “I’m alone for a reason, Callie,” he said, his brow creasing. “No friends, no family, no attachments. Everyone’s happy that way.”

  “Sounds like you’re trying to justify taking the easy way out,” I said with a scowl. “Easier is rarely better, you know.”

  His gaze dropped to my lips before flickering back to my eyes. “It hurts less.”

  “You’re wrong.”

  I sensed him pulling back before he even twitched, but I wasn’t ready to let him go just yet. In a moment of lust-fueled insanity, I tilted my head to the side, leaned forward, and pressed my lips against his.

  He was warm and soft, which was a stark comparison to his behavior, and when I began to pull back, he caught me before I could let him go.

  The arm he’d laid across the back of the bench circled my back, and the hand he’d placed on my knee began to travel upward, sending warmth between my legs. I nestled into him, my palms resting against his hard chest, and this time, he kissed me.

  His lips parted, and the tip of his tongue teased my skin before demanding entrance. I was pretty much fucked by that point, and the last of my willpower faded as I opened to him. I was his. Completely.

  My head tilted to the side as he took control. His mouth melded with mine and his tongue danced, tasting the excitement he’d awoken in me. He knew what he was doing, and it was a little frightening how talented he was. I didn’t want to be a number, but right now, my head swam with nothing but dirty thoughts.

  I kissed him back, and any nervousness I had before I’d walked in here was completely gone. Damn, he could kiss me all night, and I’d still beg for more.

  Finally, he broke away but didn’t venture far. His arms caged me against his chest, his lips brushed over my cheek, and when he’d caught his breath, he rested his forehead against mine.

  My palm rasped against the stubble on his jaw, my fingers delighting at the sensation, and finally, I buried my hands into his overgrown hair. It was the closest I’d felt to any man, and all we’d shared was a kiss. A kiss that had knocked my socks off.

  “Callie…” His lips moved over mine, his breath hot.

  “The fact you don’t want to hurt me tells me you want to change. Whatever happened before…”

  “Don’t.” His grasp tightened.

  “Doesn’t matter,” I finished.

  “Of course, it does,” he replied, resting his forehead against mine. “That’s why I feel like a bastard right now.”

  “Now it’s my turn to say don’t.”

  He swallowed hard, his gaze dropping. “I have no fucking idea what it is about you, but… I want you, Callie.”

  There was no denying that signal. I cupped his face gently, studying his chocolate eyes as best I could in the dim lighting of the bar.

  “So you do feel it, too,” I muttered.

  “Yeah,” he whispered. “I feel it, too.”

  12

  Callie

  Mark caressed my face, smoothing my hair behind my ear. If he asked, I would get on my knees below the table and suck him dry. The thought was a little alarming, and I squirmed, beginning to ache unbearably between my legs.

  “What are you thinking?” he asked. I flushed scarlet, and his lips quirked. “Don’t worry. I can guess.”

  “I…”

  “You’re different, Callie,” he murmured. “All I want to do is take you home and fuck all night, but…”

  “But?” I squeezed my thighs together, a movement that didn’t escape his notice.

  “You’re different.”

  “I’m not reassured,” I quipped. “I feel like rubbing one out myself, you jerk.” I shoved my hand between my legs, and Mark smirked.

  “Your place or mine?” He frowned, then made the decision for me. “Your place. Definitely your place.”

  He slid out of the booth and held out his hand. Wrapping my fingers around his, he helped me up, and I fell against his chest. Smiling, he kissed me once more, his tongue diving and retreating before I could catch my breath. Then he turned and led me through the bar.

  Grasping my phone, I quickly typed a message to Macy. You had better not be home, and if you are, you had better put in some earplugs.

  Outside, Mark walked over to a shiny black and chrome motorcycle and retrieved the helmet from where he’d put it over the handlebars. Watching me stare apprehensively at the bike, he grinned.

  “By now, you’ve figured out I’m the bad boy your mother warned you about,” he said, holding out the helmet. “What are you going to do about it?”

  “What about you?” I asked.

  “I don’t give two fucks about me,” he replied. “You on the other hand…”

  “That’s a sucky attitude.” And one I was fast coming to realize was his default reaction when it came to his own well-being. Macy was right in that regard. He had a bag full of his own problems.

  He smiled, his lips pulling up on one side more than the other. “I know.”

  I wanted to ask so many questions, but my brain was too fuzzy from the lust he’d ignited with that kiss. Oh, God, that kiss. Snatching the helmet, I handed him my purse, and he stowed it in a saddlebag. Then I waited for him to straddle the motorcycle before making a move.

  “Where to?” he asked before he kicked the machine
to life.

  Giving him the address, I put on the helmet, knowing I was taking a huge risk. Not just by riding on the back of his bike while he broke the law but by taking him home. We were going to have sex, and once I let him have me, I knew I would be a goner. I already was pretty much, so I figured I may as well get an orgasm out of it.

  I gasped as he floored it, the motorcycle bumping over the gutter and out onto the road. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I felt his muscles tighten as I held on for dear life. He was a daredevil the way he cut through traffic and split lanes. Luckily, it was a short ride to Northcote and my bedroom.

  He parked the motorcycle out front, and I slid off the back, my knees wobbling unsteadily.

  “You’re a madman,” I said as I ripped off the helmet.

  “I warned you,” he retorted, sliding his arm around my waist and handing me my purse.

  Fishing for my keys, I trembled.

  “How do you like it?” he asked as we walked up the path to the front door.

  “I like it resulting in an orgasm,” I replied. “Preferably mine.”

  “I can help you with that,” he said as I turned the key in the lock.

  Inside, it was dark, which meant Macy was either in bed with earplugs in or she was still out. If she’d gotten my message, she would find something or someone to keep her entertained for a couple of hours. She was awesome like that. The housemate from heaven.

  Opening my bedroom door, I led Mark inside and flicked on the lamp by the bed. The door closed, and before I could turn, he grasped me around the waist and tugged me back against his body. Immediately, his fingers pulled my hair behind my shoulder, and he began kissing my neck. I trembled, turning to complete mush as his hands caressed my waist and brushed over my breasts.

  Squirming, I turned, desperate to feel his tongue glide against mine. Capturing his mouth, he gave me what I wanted in spades. We kissed long and hard, my arms circling his neck and his palms grasping my ass. When we fell into a heap on my bed, I arched into him as he undid the buttons of my blouse, his mouth leaving a path of fire over my cleavage.

  Wrapping my legs around his waist, my top was flung onto the floor. His fingers undid the clasp of my bra, he tugged the straps over my arms, and I was exposed. His palms rubbed at my breasts, his fingers pinching and twisting my nipples. The sensation reached my clit, and I bucked against him with a loud moan, pushing into his grasp.

  His lips curved into a wicked grin, and he let me go just long enough to pull his T-shirt off. Hot damn, I was right. He was ripped. It was my turn to rub my hands all over him, but I wasn’t satisfied with only playing with the top half. Going for his fly, I undid the button and unzipped.

  Mark chuckled softly as he did the same to me, ducking under my leg so he could remove my shoes and rip my jeans down. Standing over me, he kicked off his sexy scuffed-up boots and dropped his trousers. My gaze fell to his cock, and my insides twisted at the sight. He was hard, the length of him outlined behind the dark gray fabric of his boxers.

  Kneeling, he hooked his hands under my knees, forced my legs apart and pulled me toward him. His mouth latched onto my breasts one after the other, his tongue laving each nipple in turn as his fingers moved downward.

  He shoved his hand underneath my knickers, and a thick finger slipped over my clit, through my wetness, and delved inside me. Gasping, I tore my lips from his and began to work my body against his touch. Mark moaned softly as he explored, adding a second finger in with the first. His movements quickened, sending an unbelievable wave of pleasure through my nerve endings. If he didn’t slow down, I was going to come. Too soon…

  As if he’d heard my thoughts, he pulled his hand away and tore my underwear down and off, then made short work of his boxers. I palmed the length of his erection, stroking greedily.

  He lowered over me, his weight between my legs exciting me further. He guided himself along my wetness, massaging the underside of his shaft against my clit. Up and down, up and down… Oh, God, it felt so good, and he wasn’t even in me yet.

  Fumbling with my left hand, I managed to open the drawer on my bedside table. Mark’s gaze lifted, and he saw I was looking for a condom. He took over, ripping open a packet.

  His lips met mine again in a blistering kiss, and then the tip of his cock was pushing into me. Slowly, then all the way.

  He drove into me, faster and harder, his elbows on either side of me, his hands buried in my hair. He kissed me between breaths, devouring, controlling and completely dominating my body. I was his, and he seemed to want me to know. Maybe I should’ve been annoyed by the fact he wanted to claim me like some kind of animal, but at that moment, I didn’t care. He felt too good, his taste and touch driving me wild.

  I’d never had sex like this. Period.

  He grunted as he thrust, my own cries echoing from someplace far away. Our bodies slapped together, sweat prickled my skin, and before long, I was tipping over the edge. I came, quivering as he slammed into me, his pace never slowing. When the sensation began to fade, I moaned, already wanting to go again.

  He hadn’t come yet, so when he turned me over, I was putty in his hands. I would do anything to please him, to feel his release pour into me. Fuck, it was so dirty.

  He cradled me against his chest, hooked my leg back over his, and entered me from behind. Holy…

  He thrust, slapping into me, and he had me hard and fast. I was still riding high from the first orgasm, so when the second hit, it took me by surprise. I clenched around him, and I felt him tighten, his moans muffled in the crook of my neck.

  He jerked, then held, relishing the release that was pouring out of his body and into mine.

  When he pulled out, he tugged off the condom, tied the end, and dropped it onto the floor.

  Mark’s hands roamed over me, his lips searching for mine. Twisting around, I kissed him, our ragged breath mingling. We hadn’t said a single word the entire time, and as he held me close, I knew we didn’t have to. Words weren’t our strong point. Not yet, anyway.

  Oh, hell, I thought in the moments before I fell asleep. I’ve just fallen for the bad boy.

  13

  Storm

  Staring up at the roof of Callie’s room, I breathed in the scent of her perfume and frowned.

  We were at the morning after bit. She was still asleep in my arms, and I didn’t know what to do. It had been a couple of years since I actually slept next to a woman I’d had sex with. Sneaking out in the middle of the night didn’t count.

  The sound of heels clacking on the floorboards drew my attention. They clattered down the hall, past the bedroom door, and a moment later, the front door opened and closed. Probably her housemate. Awkward.

  Callie moved against me, her leg rising higher and higher until her thigh brushed my cock. Dammit. She was… She was too much, and I wasn’t sure I liked the way she’d taken over my every waking thought. I’d never dwelled on Lori this way even though I’d cared for her.

  Tracing my fingers up and down her spine, I closed my eyes and tried to quieten my swirling mind. She was perfect. Her curves felt good to the touch—soft, smooth, and creamy—and her breasts fit perfectly in my palms and the sex. Fuck.

  It was nice to hold someone in my arms and just…be. I’d missed this more than I’d realized I would, and that was what troubled me.

  Fuck. I was doing that thing again. The one where I was about to justify my knee-jerk reaction to happiness. Maybe this was my chance, but what if she believed the stories in the papers? She would find out I’d been keeping the mother of all secrets from her, and she would run straight to that pansy-ass fucker, Justin the firefighter. He was easy and normal. Not like me.

  Callie tightened her grip around my middle and moaned contentedly.

  “Hey,” I whispered.

  “Hey…”

  I combed my hand through her pale blonde locks.

  “What’s Storm R all about?” she asked, her fingers tracing lazy circles over my nipple.


  “That’s the name I fight under. Storm.”

  She snorted, and I felt her lips curve. “Really? Your fighter name is Storm?”

  “Don’t ask about coming to see me fight, either.”

  “I wasn’t going to,” she retorted. “Somehow, I don’t think I would like it. No offense.”

  “None taken.”

  We fell into an uneasy silence. It was becoming clearer that we were great at physical interactions, but when it came to conversation, we floundered.

  “How old are you?” she asked after a moment.

  “Old enough to know better,” I retorted, earning myself a sharp pinch.

  “Stop it,” she said with a laugh. “Tell me.”

  “Twenty-nine.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. Now, how old are you? Don’t make me guess because I always get that shit wrong. There’s no way I’m risking your wrath.”

  “My wrath?” Her head lifted, and her gaze met mine.

  “Yeah.”

  Her fingers traced over my eyebrow. “Says the bad boy cage fighter my mother warned me about.” She couldn’t hold her serious expression and burst into fits of giggles.

  Flipping her over, I covered her body with mine and forced my thigh between her legs. She gasped as I began to move gently against her clit, and her smile faded.

  “Are you going to tell me?” I asked, my voice low.

  “Old enough to know better…” Her eyes fluttered closed, and she moaned softly as my lips caressed along the curve of her neck. “But young enough to keep doing it.”

  “That’s what I like to hear…”

  Lowering, I kissed a trail over her silky breasts, across her stomach, and delved between her legs. As I laved my tongue over her clit and slid a finger inside her, I knew I wanted to keep doing it, too.

  For as long as she would let me.

  Still buzzing from my night with Callie, I went to The Underground in a much better mood than I had in more than a year. Everything seemed a little brighter, and it was weird as hell.