River

by Shayne Ford

She hooks her fingers inside her dress, pulls her neckline to the side, and gives me a full view of her chest.

  A rush of blood pools between my legs.

  She’s not only fucking with me. She’s baiting me, and it fucking works.

  My eyes sweep her breasts and the puckered nipples. I look down a moment longer, frustration barreling through me. I wish I could adjust my cock.

  I flick my eyes up and throw her a hard look. I’m not going to scribble on her chest. I might need to lick that ink off her skin later on.

  Pissed, I grab her arm, roll up her sleeve and write.

  One hour, back exit.

  I dig my hand into my pocket, scoop out my car keys and toss them in her hand. Her eyes dart to the keys, and then back to me, meeting my cold glare.

  Pressing her lips, she squashes a playful smile before she turns around and struts to the back exit.

  My eyes fall to her butt as she sways her hips away. I’d like nothing better than to...

  Fuck. I need to get myself under control.

  I whip my eyes away.

  As the initial surprise wears off, I start to process what just happened and quickly slip back into the dwelling zone.

  It doesn’t take long before I’m torn again.

  By the time I’m ready to leave, I’m all worked up, and mainly mad at myself for creating this headache in the first place.

  I walk out through the back door, brewing a storm. She waits patiently in my car. Her eyes light up, a smile tugging at her lips.

  I glower at her, and her grin dies off.

  I climb in and start the car, the engine revving up with a roar. Her eyes stay on me as I carefully maneuver out of the parking lot.

  Once we hit the street, I steer the wheel hard and jerk the car onto the road. The wheels spin, spitting dust.

  She cowers into her seat while I crush a curse between my teeth. She moves her eyes away from me and looks out the window.

  Furtively, I study her.

  The more I gape at her, the more riled up I am. My eyes roll down on her.

  Her back is slightly arched, her breasts pushing against her dress, the tight curve of her butt making me so hard.

  As if she knows I’m ogling her, she thrusts her chest out and curves her spine, her ass pushing back, even more. My cock keeps hardening.

  She’s fucking playing me. She cuts her eyes at me, flashing a little smile.

  Yeah, baby. I’m definitely played.

  Digging her heel into the doorframe, she lifts one knee and slightly parts her legs, her dress rolling up beneath her hands.

  She’s got my full attention. And not only mine.

  Shifting in my seat, I ease the tension between my legs, smoothly sweeping the ridge of my cock as I’m doing my best to keep my attention on the road while glancing at the spectacle form time to time.

  It’s all meant to drive me crazy, and it’s fucking working.

  She keeps dangling her pussy at me like that she’ll get what she wants, and so much more. I stare as much as I can without getting us into a ditch.

  Her eyes start to get unfocused. And so are mine. She feeds on my reaction, tension setting in her grip. A bead of sweat rolls on her lip.

  She gives me a come-hither look, and I’m about to burst.

  Her hands slide up her thighs, her dress pulling up even more. It doesn’t take a genius to know where this is going.

  She tips her head back and licks her lips, and I have to adjust myself again. I’m not even discreet about it.

  Her legs spread a bit more, her hands crumpling the dress around her hips, letting me get a glimpse…

  Wait!! What?

  A curse explodes in my mouth, and my pulse start racing. Oh, no, no. She didn’t walk like that into the club.

  I wish I could dwell on that thought a little longer, but all my blood pools south, and not much left is in my brain to compute.

  I glance at her lap again.

  She couldn’t make a more on point invitation. I’m hard as fuck, and I can barely keep my eyes on the road. She angles her head to catch my gaze, and I get a glimpse of her toxic eyes.

  She’s all in, so fucking lost. I’m stunned.

  My breath gets jams in my throat as I gape at her clean-shaven pussy as if I’ve never caught sight of one.

  Sliding a sweaty hand onto the wheel, I wipe my brow and roll the window down, growling my frustration under my breath.

  In a trance, she looks at me, and then, without breaking her stare, she rolls her tongue over her fingers and lowers them between her legs. My cock stirs, alert as if directs traffic.

  I perk my ears up like a dingo as I think I hear a soft moan slipping through her lips. I hope she doesn’t do what she intends to do or I’m gonna burst a vessel.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I catch sight of the driveway. It’s about fucking time. I yank the wheel to the left and slam the brakes, bringing everything to a halt.

  I jump out of the car and pull away as if my ass has caught on fire.

  15

  Steve greets us in front of the house.

  I toss him the keys, and he studies my eyes as I swallow hard a few times trying to regain my voice.

  “No one comes into my house unless you clear with me first. Use your gun if you need to,” I say, with a gravelly voice.

  I peel my eyes away from him, stride across the driveway, and enter my home. She hurries and walks in right after me.

  Rushed, I take the stairs up to the second floor and dash to the bathroom.

  It takes a long, cold shower to come back to my senses. I spend a few minutes in the closet, picking a new set of clothes. Barefoot and jeans-clad, I walk down the stairs, tugging at the sides of my open shirt as I scan the rooms.

  I spot her, in the master bedroom.

  Tall on her heels, she stands in front of the fireplace and stares at the blazing fire. I stop a few feet away from her.

  “Why are you so fucking stubborn, Layla?” I ask, as calm as I can, considering I had to throw a bucket of ice-cold water at my balls.

  Trembling lights dance in her eyes.

  She locks my eyes briefly, and as I roll my cuffs up. Her gaze dips, and sets on my groin. A smile glints across her lips. I barely tamed my dick, and now I’m getting hard again.

  I’d like to fix my fly, but I don’t want to give her satisfaction.

  Her gaze swings back to my face, questioning and playful at the same time. Yes, I’m dressed up to go out, which I might if this thing doesn’t turn the way I want.

  “What do you mean?”

  Oh, she purrs like a kitten now, and gives me the runaround as if I’m some fucking amateur.

  “Don’t fuck with me!!” I say, and the light switches off in her eyes.

  She frowns, her eyes blazing at me, and I love it.

  “Why are you here? I thought we settled this,”I say, busy with my shirt.

  Her eyes darken.

  “You settled it. I didn’t,” she throws back at me, her voice slicing through me, her eyes charring me.

  Oops! Her attitude has changed too.

  “Really?” I challenge her.

  She looks at me, serious.

  “Yeah, really. You were the one who changed your mind. You said you care about me. How the hell can you care, when one week later I find you all sexed up, in the middle of a club, reigning like a fucking king, surrounded by all those women? Are you telling me you only fuck women you don’t give a shit about? Is that it?”

  Her hands rest on her hips, her eyes scalding me as her eyebrows pinch together, and it’s the cutest angry face I’ve ever seen.

  I clench my jaw to keep my mug under control as she continues.

  “And you know what? I don’t give a fuck about your reasons. You never told me why Lana took a jab at me. Or Jay. You never gave me a real reason. It was all a bunch of crap. You asked me to trust you, but you never showed me any trust.”

  She shoves her finger into my chest, and I barely suppress my
smile.

  “You strung me along. You fucking played me. Hot and cold, back and front, giving me enough so I can hang in there... pushing me back every single time I got close to you. I know your fucking game, River...”

  And yet, she doesn’t know the half of it.

  Clasping one hand on my hip, I run my fingers through my hair, and slowly roll them down my neck. Her eyes follow the sliding move as I curl them around my neck.

  Tensing my muscles, I curve my back, and thrust my hips forward. Her mouth pulls agape, her eyes setting on my bulging cock straining against my fly. I can thank her for giving me a hard on.

  She looks a bit thrown off.

  I have to bite my lips to crush my laughter.

  There’s nothing like payback time. Especially when it’s working so damn well. Taken with the view, she loses some of her steam. Oh, yeah. I can do this game, babe. Between the two of us, I practically invented it.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, ”I say, innocent as a toddler.

  “Oh yes. I think you do,” she says, shaking off the spell.

  She’s back. Shouting and glowering, pointing at me and spitting fire.

  I look at her, unfazed.

  “You lied to me, River. You gave me a bunch of excuses. The past, your ex-girlfriend...”

  “She wasn’t my girlfriend. And it was not a lie. You want to know the fucking truth? Okay... Fine. Lana went crazy over a picture of yours she found on my phone. And Jay... Well, it’s a long story... He holds a grudge against me, and he’d like nothing better than to fuck you. This is the truth. I don’t want any of this shit to come to you,” I say, finally delving into something serious, regaining my sway.

  “It’s not your fucking business what comes to me.”

  “Yes, it is,”I shout back at her. “I know better than you, but you can’t fucking trust me, can you?”

  She stalls for a moment.

  “You couldn’t stop them anyway,” she says with a cold voice, and I grit my teeth. “And you know what? You could’ve talked to me. But, hell no. You fly too high up for mere mortals like me, Mr. Fucking Rock Star.”

  That hurt.

  She just delivered another blow, and I’m wondering if she doesn’t grow up too fast. I thrust my hands into my pockets, tip my head back, and fry her with my glare.

  “You don’t know anything about me,” I growl.

  “Oh, yes... I think I do. I already know you can fuck me and dump me in a blink of an eye. Wait. Did I say ‘fuck’ me?”

  Her chest explodes with a scornful laughter.

  “Scratch that. I wish you fucked me!!” she screams so hard my neighbors are probably taking notes.

  Her hand goes over her mouth, squashing a gasp of horror.

  She stumbles back and bumps into the wall, her eyes wide, terrified. I barely keep a smirk from spilling to my lips. I let her simmer a few more moments before I speak.

  “That was not intentional,” I say, serious.

  “Well... it doesn’t make me feel any better. You keep sending me all these mixed messages. How can I possibly trust you?”

  “You’re right,” I mutter, but she’s so caught up in her own thoughts and emotions she doesn’t even realize I called a truce.

  “I know enough to stay away from you, but I’m here, and I don’t care if I’m gonna get hurt, burned, or broken. All I know is that I can’t run away from you, River. If you want me gone, you have to give me a fucking reason.”

  “I don’t run away either. I wouldn’t be here if I did, would I?” I say, looking into her eyes, no longer guarded, a soft smile creasing my lips.

  Surprise washes over her face, bringing a warm light to her eyes and a slow smile across her lips. Her face enlivens briefly before a shadow slides over her eyes.

  “Oh, no... Wait a minute.”

  Revelation flashes in her gaze as she puts everything together. Her expression morphs, shifting from surprise to unbridled fury.

  “I can’t believe it...You set me up. You knew I’d come to you. Begging for you. Pleading with you. You just waited for me. You wanted me to go through all this crap so you could have me your way.”

  Running my hands through my hair, I whip my eyes away, hiding my smirk.

  “No, I didn’t. I had no fucking clue you were gonna put your little ass on a plane and come visit me.”

  “Not that... but you knew I'd show up. Sometime. Somewhere. You weren’t surprised back in New York when you saw me at the hotel.”

  “There was no way I could’ve known...”

  This isn’t exactly a denial, but it plants the seeds of doubt. Not for long, though.

  She casts me an incredulous look and the temptation to spill it all out nags me badly.

  “I took a gamble,” I finally say, and her eyes start throwing flames.

  Shit.

  I might get burned inside my little ploy. She sets her hands on a collision course with my chest, and I grip her wrists and pin her body against the wall, crushing her under my weight.

  As we slam into each other, she writhes at first and then she slackens, a mist of tears licking her eyes.

  I close my arms around her, my lips brushing her hair.

  She starts to tremble.

  “Are you done?”

  She nods, softly.

  “Can I let you go?”

  She nods again.

  I free her, but I don’t break away. Placing my hands on the wall, on either side of her head, I look down into her teary eyes.

  “Here’s the truth... I didn’t know you’d come back, but I hoped you would. I prayed you wouldn’t give up. I didn’t want to take a gamble, but I really had no choice,” I say, serious this time, and light glimmers in her eyes.

  “I want you, Layla, and that’s the truth, but I want all of you. That’s why I needed you to come to me. You have to be sure for this to work...” I say, no smile on my face.

  Gently, I trail my fingers down her face and across her lips. She looks at me through a veil of tears, shivering under my stare.

  “It was not a game. All right?”

  I tilt my head down, glide my lips over hers, and kiss her softly. Her whole body vibrates, swept by the emotion, her skin warming up.

  She takes a long breath and brings her hand to my chest, and now I know this battle is over.

  I break the kiss and slip my fingers into her hair. Her head tips back, relishing my touch. Her lips pull slightly apart, her tears streaming down, in silence.

  “Please don’t cry,” I murmur.

  I kiss her tears, my fingers sliding down her neck. She takes a long breath, my gaze dipping to her chest.

  “It took you some courage to come here...” I mutter, my fingers tracing the curves of her breasts.

  “How many men hit on you today, baby?”

  A soft shudder rushes through her body, her silence prompting me to raise my eyes.

  She smiles, red up to her hairline.

  “That’s what I thought,” I rasp.

  Her eyes flash a raw need.

  Smoothly, I wedge my thigh between her legs and roll my hips. Moaning, she clenches her thighs, her hips grinding slowly, rubbing my erection.

  Gently, I pull her hair back, tip her face up and sink my gaze into her eyes. She looks at me, hypnotized. Tracing the contour of her mouth, I smile across her lips.

  “I bet you loved it... Having them drool over you... Getting a taste of your power over them.”

  Tenderly, I start kissing her neck. She squirms in my arms, her body arching against mine. I grip her hair firmly, and keep her still, pressing my full, hard cock against her belly.

  Her eyes fill with lust.

  “Half of the men in that club would’ve given you what you want. How could you possibly think I don’t want to fuck you? Hmm?” I ask with a husky voice.

  She wriggles again and fights to break my lock, craving to touch my lips.

  She starts moving against me, her eyes unfocused, swimming with desi
re. She’s fucking wild, and I’m fucking hard, and yet, I can’t rein in my madness.

  I slam my hips against her and make her still again while trailing my lips down her neck, and then up to her mouth. I brush her lips softly, pulling away as soon as she wants to kiss me.

  Her breaths come clipped and shallow, her nostrils flaring, her skin flushed. Lowering my lips to hers, I rumble.

  “You make me so fucking hard, Layla... if there’s anything I want... it’s to fuck you. You worked me up so good... Next time you pull that little teasing number in my car, I’m gonna fuck you on the spot. Are we clear?”

  Rolling my bottom lip under my teeth, I drink her in. My eyes dip to her mouth while her tongue runs across her lips. Tilting my head down, I get a taste of her lips, our tongues touching briefly.

  Swiftly, I tear away.

  She growls. I smile.

  “Shh, shh... See how bad it is...?” I say as I smoothly slide my hand between her thighs.

  I ride her dress up and run my fingers over her slit, brushing her clit. She grips my arms, barely containing a reaction.

  A smile crawls up my lips.

  “How long it’s been, babe?”

  “Much longer than you think,” she mumbles, not much voice coming out of her throat.

  Smoothly, I curl a finger and slide it in, and then another one. Her tight entrance clenches around them. I feel her throbbing right around my cock.

  “Not because of lack of suitors, I imagine...”

  “I just couldn’t,” she says, her voice broken with a moan.

  Her words sink into me, spilling a ravenous hunger in my blood.

  I slide my fingers into her, stroking her clit with my thumb. She moans, her nails sinking into my back, her hips pushing against my hand.

  Her throbbing quickens, her body starting to shudder.

  Her eyes sink into mine.

  “Please...” she says, fighting my grip on her hair, her eyes glued to my mouth.

  Swiftly, I release her.

  We lock lips, and I slip my tongue into her mouth, her fire entering my blood. Passion pours into her kiss, showing me a different woman.

  Strong and wild, opening to me. This time she claims me, owning me.

  She growls again, her body scaling up and breaking again, her core clenching, dripping, wet, and we don’t stop. The more we kiss, the more she groans, and the tenser she becomes.