by Evan Grace
Her moan as his tongue pressed between her lips was the catalyst for him. She tasted of beer and chocolate and perfection. He was sure he was groaning right back.
When the burning in his lungs made him pull back, he opened his eyes to find her watching him.
She giggled and reached up to touch her lips. “Hi.”
“Sorry. I had intentions to behave myself, tonight, Casey.”
“My fault. I touched your nipple.”
Jason laughed. “It’s all right. I should have known you were a bad girl. The vibrator and all.”
“I was wondering how long it would take for you to bring that up.” She shoved his chest.
He caught her hand and brought it back to his lips. “I like to see you blush.”
“I don’t think I’ve stopped.”
“No. You haven’t.” He tugged her hand and pulled her closer. “Come here. You can see the tats on my shoulders a little better from here.”
“You want me to sit on your lap?” She was still breathless; the rise and fall of her breasts was hypnotizing.
“I would love it.”
She set her hands on his shoulders and straddled his thighs. He was unable to keep his hands from her hips, her round ass.
“You okay?” He had to check.
“Mm.”
Jason leaned in and kissed below her ear. Took a minute to breathe in her perfume. Peaches.
“What does this one mean?” Her fingers traced a design on his right shoulder.
“The demon? I belong to The Rolling Devils. We’re a motorcycle club and…”
“No, this one.”
He was relieved she wasn’t scared of him. “It’s Maori.”
“Have you been to New Zealand?”
Jason nodded. “I did some training there.” His focus wasn’t on the past, though. It was on how soft her skin was under her t-shirt.
“Wow. That’s impressive.”
“Goddamn, your skin is soft.”
She laughed. “I thought you were showing me your tattoos?”
“I changed my mind.” He sat up straight to capture her mouth, once again. She was such a damn good kisser, and he let himself get caught up in the moment. He pulled her hips closer and then hissed as she rocked over his cock.
“Don’t stop,” he breathed, and his hands moved up her sides, brushing the sides of her breasts with his thumbs.
Her gasp told him she was sensitive. She was turned on as much as he was. The tilt of her hips made him wish she were naked.
There was something he could do about that. He tugged the bottom of her t-shirt and pulled it up to reveal a sexy as hell red lace bra. “Goddamn.”
She tugged her shirt off her arms and tossed it behind her. It hit an empty beer bottle, and Casey turned, as if to right it. She looked panicked, almost. Like he would give a damn.
“Hey. Leave it.”
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have…”
He took her chin in his hand and met her eyes. “I’m not worried about anything but you.”
She shook her head, as if to clear her mind of something. “Right. Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
He tried to kiss her again, but she was far from into it. Without warning, she stood up. “I should go.”
“Casey. Fuck. Now, I’m sorry. I pushed you.”
She shook her head, not even listening to his words. He had lost her; she had completely shut down. “Thank you for the cake. The beer.”
She grabbed his black t-shirt, likely because it was closer to her, and pulled it over her head, covering that sweet body. By the time she reached the door, she looked on the verge of tears. Like she couldn’t get out of the apartment fast enough.
“Casey, babe.”
“I have to get up early tomorrow. Bye.” And then she closed the door in his face.
“Fuck.” He had no idea what had just happened and was too damned hard to think straight.
He banged his head against the closed door and took a few calming breaths.
Didn’t help.
They had connected; they were attracted to each other. What the hell had gone wrong?
Chapter Twelve
Casey
“So, I blew it.”
“You blew him? Casey.”
She couldn’t make herself smile. Not even at Jessa’s crude jokes.
“I knocked over a beer bottle and then just took off.” Casey curled up tighter on her bed, breathed in the warm scent of Jason’s t-shirt.
“Oh, honey.”
“Don’t, Jess. I can’t let myself go back to that. I’m away from him now.”
“I know. I’m sorry. What did Jason say?”
“When I left? He said fuck a lot. But I imagine it was because he thought he was going to get laid.”
“Or he was worried about you?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. It doesn’t really matter.”
Jessa sighed. “I’m coming over.”
“No. I mean thank you. But it would take you three hours to fly here. And I have to be up early tomorrow, anyway, so I couldn’t pick you up from the airport.”
“Casey. Go back over there. Tell him the truth,” Jessa said.
“Why? That story is just going to confirm to him how stupid I really am. How naïve. He already thinks I’m crazy. I don’t need to make it worse.”
Casey jumped at the sound of a knock on her bedroom wall. “Jessa. I’m going to let you go.”
The knock again. It shouldn’t have, but it made her smile.
She sat up on her knees and tapped back.
He didn’t knock back, so she figured he was just messing with her. But then the knock came from the front door.
She ran over to open it and smiled when Jason stood there, still shirtless, still in those tight jeans that showed off his amazing dick.
“Hi.”
Jason smiled back at her. “Sorry to bother you. It’s just that I couldn’t sleep without the usual sound of a Porn Place orgy. It’s like my lullaby now.”
Casey laughed. “Shut up.”
“May I come in?”
“I’m not wearing pants.”
“You don’t seem to wear them often, huh?”
“No.”
“I’ll behave. I just wanted to check on you. You took off pretty fast there, and I was worried I said or did something to upset you.”
Casey leaned against the door. “Are you real?”
He flexed his pecs and winked at her. “Touch me.”
“Why?”
“To prove to yourself I’m real.”
She reached out with a shaky hand and set it over his heart, felt the warmth of his skin, the heat.
“Let me in, Case. I just want to sit with you. I’m worried.”
“I’m fine.”
“Ah. Fine is never a good thing, right?” He pushed his way into the apartment and sat down on the couch. Patted the cushion beside him.
“Do you want anything?” she asked. “I have beer too, but it’s the cheap stuff.”
“I want you to sit with me.”
She nodded and came over, sat on the edge of her seat. “I was going to return your shirt.”
“Don’t. You look incredible in it.”
She looked down, a little surprised at how much of her breasts were revealed, and laughed.
He reached over and set his large hand on her knee. It was warm and soft and made her feel safe.
“I’m not crazy.” She said the words but didn’t believe them.
“I agree, beautiful. Would you mind telling me what upset you?”
“I moved here, to this apartment complex, to get away from a bad situation.”
He swore under his breath, again. “Tell me who hurt you and I’ll kick his ass. A boyfriend? Husband?”
“Roommate.”
“A chick?”
She shook her head. “My roommate was a man. He was extremely aggressive and was always complaining about my thin
gs. He yelled a lot. He was just an asshole, but about a month ago, he kind of snapped and backhanded me. Broke my glasses, gave me a black eye. I wore his fingerprints on my arm for a few weeks.”
Casey reached up to adjust her new glasses, still feeling like everyone could see the evidence of the abuse.
His caress on her thigh was hypnotic. “I’m glad you moved here.”
“Thank you.”
“Not just for my sake. I’m happy that you’re safe.”
“I don’t always feel safe.”
“Give me your phone. Whatever happens or doesn’t happen with us, Casey, I will always have your back. So will my club. Call me if you need anything.”
“I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”
He rubbed his thumb over her skin and then grabbed a pen, wrote his number on the back of a Chinese food menu. “I’m serious, Casey. I can’t stand little bitches like your former roommate.”
She smiled. “Thank you. But Greg Jefferies is not little.”
“Just a bitch, then.” It wasn’t a question, just facts. “Should we order some Chinese, watch some porn? I’m not tired.”
She rolled her eyes. “I have leftovers in the fridge.”
“Even better. Let me, okay?”
Casey nodded, a little surprised at how natural it felt to have a man in the apartment. She didn’t miss Greg at all, but company in a city this large was nice, especially with her best friend all the way back in Kansas.
“I think we’re compatible, Case. You order almost exactly what I do.”
“Really?”
“No, but hey, it made you smile.”
She laughed at that. “You’re a sweet guy.”
“You sound surprised.”
“You’re tattooed from head to toe. You swear a lot. You look tough. And you’re in a motorcycle club.”
“True, but my mom raised me right.”
“I didn’t mean to judge.”
“Casey. If you want a bad boy, I can be that for you. Just know, I wouldn’t hurt you like that asshole roommate of yours, okay?”
She nodded. Believed him.
“Why did you have a roommate, anyway?”
“Rent. I was broke when I moved to LA. Even this place is a little over my budget, but it’s safe, so…”
“It’s next to me. It’s very safe.” He winked at her. “The food has another three minutes. I’m just going to go grab a t-shirt, okay?”
“Oh, okay.”
He walked over to her, set his hand on her hip, and leaned in to press a kiss to her mouth. It was far too quick, and by the time she opened her eyes, he was out the door.
She pressed her fingers to her lips and smiled. This man was something far too special.
Chapter
Thirteen
Jason
He had probably made himself sound a little better than he was, but Jason, for as much of a player as he had been, was not an abuser.
“Fuck.” He wanted to break something. Punch someone. No one hit a woman and got away with it. He would find this Greg Jefferies and make sure he didn’t so much as think about Casey again.
He pulled a shirt on and grabbed a six pack of beer from his fridge. The box of condoms for that dude at Casey’s office, and a few more in his pocket. Just in case.
Jason was still pissed when he walked back over to Casey’s, but his mood lifted when he saw her. She was standing on her toes to reach the dishes. He should have offered to help, but the t-shirt she was wearing had lifted and gave him the slightest peek at her ass. Covered in red lace to match the bra she had on earlier.
“Need some help?”
She squeaked, so damn adorable. “Yes, please.”
He set the beer down on the counter, but instead of grabbing the plates, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. “I could get used to this.”
“Really?” she asked, her voice as shy as she was.
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
With the food dished up and a couple of beers cracked open, they sat next to each other on the sofa. “So, you’re into tattoos, huh?”
She tucked her long hair behind her ear. “Am I that obvious?”
“You have five issues of Toned and Tattooed on your coffee table.”
“Oh, right. Well…”
“I was featured in the fifth issue. A retro piece I did on a b-list celeb.”
“That is amazing. Congratulations.”
Jason shrugged. “When do I get to see your tattoos, Casey?”
“I told you I don’t have any.”
Jason dropped his fork. “Are you fucking with me? I thought you were teasing before.”
“Um, no.”
He chuckled. “Your skin is an artist’s dream.” Jason grabbed the sharpie off the table and popped off the cap. “May I draw on you?”
Casey laughed. “With a felt pen?”
“For now.”
“Okay.”
Jason wiped his hands on his jeans and then stood up. “Okay. Lie back.”
Casey’s mood seemed to have improved, and she was far more relaxed. He was thrilled she was playing along with him. Even more that he was about to get his hands all over her.
“What are you going to draw?” she asked.
“Hmm. Let’s see.”
He dropped to his knees beside her and smoothed his palm over her hip, pushed the t-shirt up to her slender waist, tried not to focus on the fact she was no longer wearing a bra.
“We’re still doing the tattoo thing right?”
He cleared his throat. Casey needed a gentleman tonight. “We are.”
He traced his fingertip over her hip, down her thigh.
“That feels nice.”
“What’s your favorite flower, Casey?”
“Lilies.”
“Perfect.” He leaned in and started sketching on her skin. “Why haven’t you got a tat yet, Case?”
Jason was in his element. Sure, this was just a pen, but a warm body was his canvas.
“I don’t know. Nervous, I guess. You admitted it hurts.”
He slid his hand over her thigh before sketching in the petals of another flower. “It depends.”
“On which part of the body?”
“Who your artist is.”
Casey laughed. “Are you saying if I wanted this design on my body permanently, it wouldn’t hurt?”
“I could distract you enough you wouldn’t notice.”
“How, um, would you do that?” Her voice had turned breathy and she started to squirm on the sofa.
“God, Casey.” He wanted to tell her he could bring her to near orgasm, so she wouldn’t even think about the tiny needle puncturing her skin. He wanted to tell her the sexual tension between them alone would have her so distracted, her only thoughts would be about making love to him when he was finished marking her.
But then she spoke. So sweet and innocent. “Would you kiss me?”
Jason tossed the pen on the table and crawled over her body, pressed his mouth to hers. “Why are you so damn sexy?”
“It’s because I’m not wearing a bra, isn’t it?”
Jason slid his hands up her sides, under her shirt, slid his thumbs over her soft curves to touch her nipples. She cried out at his touch. “Jesus Christ, Casey. You’re killing me.”
“I want you.”
Jason clenched his jaw and let out a deep breath. “How am I supposed to be a gentleman when you talk like that?”
She bit her lip, smiled as she met his eyes. “What if I want a bad boy tonight?”
“Yeah?” He reached up to caress her soft, silky hair. “I think I can do that for you. How bad do you want me to be?”
“I want your hands all over me. I want you inside me. And please, don’t stop kissing me.”
He leaned in, pressed his lips to hers. “I can make all of that happen. All of it. But first, I want you to see this tat. I want you to see how sexy it looks on your incredible body.”
He was trying
to be a good guy and needed a minute so he could gain some semblance of control.
Jason stood and pulled Casey to her feet, might have looked down her top, smiled when she caught him.
“Full-length mirror?” he asked.
“My bedroom.”
“Lead the way, gorgeous.”
Casey’s hand in his was warm, her hips moved seductively, and he admired her confidence around him. Especially after the false start they had. After she had been so recently abused by someone she thought she could trust.
Her bedroom was whitewashed, her sheets white satin, her curtains white lace.
Purity. An angel just waiting to be tarnished by a devil in disguise.
Her mirror was framed in gold, her body was fucking gorgeous, and so small next to him, at least a foot shorter. But damn did she look good wrapped in his arms.
But Casey wasn’t looking at him in their reflection. Instead, she was fixated on the tattoo.
Chapter
Fourteen
Casey
The black marker lines over the front of her thigh, up her hip, took her breath away.
Flowers and leaves. Such a simple idea, but the design was complex, shadows and light. The drawing was art. It was gorgeous.
“Wow.”
“You like it?”
She tore her gaze from her leg and met Jason’s eyes in the mirror. “I love it. How are you so talented? With a felt pen.”
His laughter was soft, as if to brush off the compliment. “I have a beautiful canvas.” His hands moved up her sides, and she shivered when he brushed the sides of her breasts.
“You’re sensitive here,” he whispered, then kissed her temple. “I wonder what else I can do to make you react like that.”
He lifted the hem of her shirt and tugged it over her head, helped her slip it from her arms. She was left in nothing but her panties, yet she didn’t feel naked. Not with Jason. Not with the tattoo on her body. It was a shield. It made her feel safe.
Jason slid his hands over her belly, a little softer than it had been in college―damn Chinese food―then up to cradle her breasts in his hands, all while holding her gaze with his. “If I take your glasses off, will you be able to see me?”