by Golden Angel
Also by Golden Angel
Big Bad Bunnies
Chasing His Bunny
Chasing His Squirrel
Chasing His Puma
Domestic Discipline Quartet
Birching His Bride
Dealing With Discipline
Punishing His Ward
Claiming His Wife
Stronghold Doms
The Sassy Submissive
Taming the Tease
Hardcore Vanilla
Venus Rising Quartet
The Venus School
Venus Aspiring
Venus Desiring
Venus Transcendent
Watch for more at Golden Angel’s site.
Hardcore Vanilla
Book 8 of the Stronghold Doms Series
By Golden Angel
Copyright © 2018 by Golden Angel LLC
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover Art by Eris Adderly
Thank Yous!
I have a lot of people to thank for helping me with this book:
A huge thank you to Chelle, one of my former beta readers who actually came up with the name Hardcore Vanilla.
CoraLee June for all the creative euphemisms Sharon uses for her ladyparts.
Lanai Dameron for Sharon’s speech to her cousin.
So many thanks to my current amazing beta readers, who are completely invaluable in helping me catch mistakes, continuity issues, and working through problems with me. Katherine, Nick, Marie, Karen, Marta, Annie, Jessie, and Michelle – you all make these books so much better!
Lee Savino for being my author-sensei.
Miranda and Hannah for your quick editing skills, words of support, and general awesomeness.
Eris Adderly for the absolutely stunning cover.
My husband for his continued loved and support.
And, as always, a big thank you to all of you for buying and reading my work... if you love it, please leave a review!
Thank you so much for picking up my book!
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue
Prologue
“Happy New Year!”
Everyone in the club cheered, raised their glasses, and turned to the person they were standing next to for the first kiss of the new year.
Slightly wobbly in her heels, Sharon turned to look at the man by her side. Tall, dark, and a pain in her ass. She was also a pain in his; something she often reveled in, if she was being honest. Jake Standish. Her friend Lexie’s older brother, former military and the only other single person in their group of friends. Not a Dom although he often hung out at Stronghold, the BDSM club with her and the rest of her friends and sometimes he kind of acted like one.
Tonight they weren’t at Stronghold though, they were at the grand opening of its sister club, Marquis. The new club was venture between Stronghold’s owner and two investors, all three of whom were friends with Jake and Sharon.
The two of them had ended up spending most of the night together by default.
Which had been interesting.
They didn’t exactly get along most of the time. In her opinion he was uptight, judgmental, and kind of prudish. She was a hot mess and attention whore in his. Neither of them had exactly been quiet about their opinions either. They got along like fire and oil. Put them together and whoosh. Everything was burning.
Unfortunately, she was also pretty attracted to him and when she was drunk he started looking better and better... Especially because he loosened up a lot as he kept drinking. They had started to have fun once they’d gotten onto the dance floor, but he wasn’t who she’d intended to end up standing next to at midnight.
Then again, she hadn’t had anyone in mind. A sad state of affairs, really.
“So,” she said, raising her eyebrow as she looked up at him with a hint of challenge. His blue eyes turned down towards her, the color always somewhat shocking against his full, black eyelashes, which were thick and long enough to make just about every woman who saw him envious. With his short-cropped black hair, broad shoulders, and muscular body he was a fine piece of eye candy. “Are we ringing in the new year or what?”
She said it just to goad him, because that was what she did, and because she didn’t have any expectation of him meeting the challenge. Actually, she figured he’d go running, in which case she could maybe still find someone to pair up with for the rest of the night. There were other singles here at the party, celebrating both the new year and the opening of Stronghold’s sister club, Marquis. Sharon was horny as hell after watching the hot scenes in the theater room upstairs and then dancing with Jake.
He was kind of clam-jamming her though. She’d been having such a good time grinding up against him on the dance floor and teasing him that she hadn’t kept track of the time. Then, suddenly, plastic champagne flutes were being passed around and the countdown had begun.
But he didn’t run.
Instead, he did the very last thing she would have ever expected.
She sucked in a shocked breath as one strong arm curved around her waist and he hauled her up against him. Even in heels he was quite a bit taller than her and she found herself up on her tiptoes, her body pressed up against hard male muscle, with a very specific hardness nestled into her stomach, and then she was being kissed.
Very, very thoroughly.
He tasted like champagne and chocolate, and Sharon moaned into his mouth as his free hand curved over her ass, squeezing the soft flesh and sending ripples of sensation through her.
Holy fucking shit.
If she’d thought she’d been horny before, that was nothing compared to right now. Her nipples swelled, pressing against his chest like they were trying to drill through her clothes, and her pussy clenched as his tongue swept against hers, deepening the kiss.
Right in the middle of the main room of Marquis.
Where everyone could see them.
Arousal flashed, but so did a little warning sign in her head. She pushed at his chest and he pulled away, both of them panting slightly. His black pupils nearly obscured the electric blue of his eyes, and he kept his hold on the rest of her body even though he’d relinquished her lips.
“We can’t do this here,” she said, her head snapping back and forth to see if anyone was looking at them.
The last thing she wanted was their nosy group of friends trying to hook them up. Talk about a disaster in the making. She might be drunk, but she knew she and Jake would be a freaking awful match. There was no way she wanted her friends trying to push her together with Captain Grumpy. Other than animal attraction, there was nothing else between them.
They didn’t even like each other.
******
“You’re right.” Jake twisted, pulling her with him. “Let’s get o
ut of here.”
For a second he thought she would argue with him - which would be typical Sharon - but instead she came along willingly. Eagerly. Her short legs easily kept up with his longer stride, even in her heels.
Being taller, Jake cast a quick look around the room. Everyone was pretty much occupied, and he didn’t spot any of their friends. Possibly retired to the private theme rooms upstairs? Good... That was good.
If he was being honest, he wasn’t entirely sure of what he was doing. Even when he was drunk, he usually kept a clear head.
Would he regret taking Sharon home with him tomorrow morning? Probably.
Would he regret it if he didn’t? Definitely.
He wanted her. She wanted him. Simple math, really. As long as they both agreed that this was a one-time thing.
“This is just for tonight,” she said, echoing his thoughts, and filling him with satisfaction.
“Yup,” he said. They grabbed their coats and he ushered her out the door. Fortunately, Marquis had almost an entirely new staff, and those who were moving over from Stronghold were off tonight. Jake didn’t recognize the girl who handed them their coats and she didn’t seem at all interested that they were walking out together.
Lucky for them, the street was pretty busy with cabs. He’d taken public transportation down to Marquis and he didn’t know where her car was, but he did know that neither of them were in any condition to drive. Giving the driver his address, Jake crawled into the backseat with Sharon.
The winter coat she was wearing came down about the same length as her short skirt, leaving her legs bare. Wasn’t she freezing?
He probably shouldn’t complain though, since it allowed for very easy access.
As soon as he’d slid in beside her, he pulled her in for another kiss. She squeaked in surprise, but didn’t protest, and a moment later was kissing him back enthusiastically, neither of them caring about the driver. Jake hadn’t thought he’d be a cab-cliché, but right now he didn’t care either. In fact, the idea that the driver might be taking peeks at them turned him on even more.
He’d always enjoyed watching at Stronghold - as long as his sister and Patrick weren’t playing. He had enjoyed seeing some of the more brazen members of Marquis enjoying the club’s downstairs area in a way they wouldn’t be able to once it was open as a restaurant, but he’d never actually been watched himself. There had always been a touch of envy when he’d been watching others.
Not at all passive, Sharon grabbed onto the collar of his shirt, kissing him back hard and furious, apparently just as unconcerned by their driver as he was.
Or maybe she even liked it too?
The puffy coat was a bit of a hindrance, but he had plenty of access to her lower half. He felt her shudder as he slid his hand up the outside of her thigh. Her skin was cool but not cold; they hadn’t been outside long enough for her to really feel the chill. When his hand moved under her skirt, she spread her legs slightly.
Jake took the invitation.
Fuck.
Her panties were soaked, and he groaned as he shoved his fingers past the sodden material and into the soft, wet folds of her pussy. His cock throbbed in envy as the slick heat wrapped around his fingers. The whimpering noise she made in the back of her throat nearly undid him, and he pushed two fingers inside of her, kissing her even harder as she clenched around him.
The movement of the car rocked them slightly and he ground the heel of his hand against her swollen clit, making her writhe, her thighs tightening around his hand. He kept his arm around her, otherwise she would have been on her back and Jake honestly didn’t know if he would be able to wait until they got to his apartment. He pumped his fingers, making her whimper and squirm delightfully.
It wasn’t until the cabby cleared his throat that Jake realized they’d arrived.
The ride had been too short... or too long. His head was kind of messed up right now. Half of him couldn’t believe he was sliding his fingers out of Sharon while there was another person in the car with them, half of him enjoyed it. Was getting off on it.
“Thanks man,” he said, handing over a twenty and way over-tipping.
“Happy New Year,” the driver said as Sharon scampered out of the car, surreptitiously tugging the hem of her short skirt down.
As soon as Jake was out on the sidewalk beside her, she looked up at him with serious brown eyes.
“This is a fucking terrible idea. You know that, right?”
Immediately he stilled. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t want to. Just that this is a terrible fucking idea.”
******
Serious blue eyes studied her, and then he was grabbing her hand and pulling her to the front of the apartment building. “Any time you want to stop, you just say so. No safe word needed.”
“I don’t want to stop,” she muttered, following him into the warmth of the lobby. “That’s the problem.”
Her insides were clenching, and she was still shocked that Grumpy Captain America had been so fucking brazen. How drunk was he? Then again, she knew the answer to that... not so drunk that he didn’t know what he was doing, just like her. Normally he was the sane one, the one who set down limits, who went out of his way to cut off her fun even though she didn’t answer to him. He wasn’t her Dom. He wasn’t her boyfriend. Heck, she didn’t know if she’d even call them friends. They just had the same friends.
But now he decided to go ahead and meet her challenge head on, and quickly surpass it.
Why did she find that so hot?
As soon as they were in the elevator, Jake was on her again, lifting her up and pressing her against the wall. Her legs wrapped around him and she was completely aware that the elevator could stop at any time and someone could walk in. They’d see her skirt practically rolled up to her waist, Jake’s hands cupping the underside of her bare ass since her thong offered absolutely no coverage, and his tongue down her throat.
Which was also fucking hot.
Apparently the judgy, grumpy Captain had a little bit of an exhibitionist in him.
She had no problem with this. Hell, she’d liked it when he got handsy and aggressive in the cab, and not just because she knew if she’d had the whole ride over to think about it, she probably would have chickened out. Then where would she be? Not getting laid and in one of the most awkward situations of her life, that’s where she’d be. This was way better.
The elevator door opened, and he carried her out into the hallway while Sharon shoved her hands into his jacket and started kissing down his neck, sucking slightly on his skin. The stubble on his jawline rasped against her cheek.
Yup, I want to feel that on my pussy, please and thank you...
He groaned, holding her with one arm as he fumbled for his keys.
“Such a fucking terrible idea,” she mumbled against his skin as he got the door open and them inside.
“Stop saying that,” he said irritably. Yeah, that was the tone she was used to hearing from him. Perversely, it just got her hotter in the moment, whereas usually it pissed her off.
“It’s true.”
“But when you say it, I feel like you don’t want this.” His hand palmed her ass and squeezed. If he’d been a Dom she’d probably be setting herself up for a spanking right now, but - as Jake liked to point out - he wasn’t a Dom.
“Oh, I want this,” she said. Still carrying her, he took her through the main room and back into what she assumed was his bedroom. Not that she had a whole lot of interest in looking around. “But it’s still a fucking terrible idea.”
“You’re a lot of work,” he muttered, dumping her onto the bed on her back.
The sudden movement made her dizzy, all of the blood rushing to her head... And then it was all rushing elsewhere as Jake pulled her down towards him. Her skirt slid up, exposing her entire lower half.
It took them less than a minute to get each other naked.
There were no nego
tiations. No talk of safe words. No discussions of what she did or did not want to happen in the scene. Just one quick question asking if she wanted him to wear a condom, her answering that she was on the pill and clean - as Stronghold required - and agreeing that she’d rather go without, and then Jake’s mouth had been on her again. Her legs draped over his shoulders as he licked her from her lips down to her breasts like he was a starving man and she was manna from heaven.
Holy fuck the man knew what he was doing.
He’d licked, nibbled, and sucked her straight into ecstasy. Sharon arched against his mouth, crying out as her climax hit her hard and fast while he sucked her clit. She’d barely begun to come down from the pleasure high before he was moving back up between her thighs and thrusting his cock into her pussy while it was still quivering from her orgasm. She moaned. Writhed. Shuddered with sensation. It was too much and not enough, all at once. Her nipples rubbed against the hair on his chest, stimulating them as her breasts bounced from the force of his thrusts.
“Fuck... Oh fuck me, please, Jake!”
“Not such a bad idea now, huh?” he asked, smugly.
Sharon raked her nails across his chest, making him grunt.
With a growl, he pulled out of her, flipping her over onto her hands and knees before sliding into her from behind. She moaned again as he slid his hands from her hips up to her breasts, cupping them as they swayed underneath her.
Sharon fucking loved being manhandled.
He pinched her nipples and she gasped, thrusting her ass back at him, taking him deep as he thrust forward. Holy shit that felt fucking amazing. Her upper body lowered, bracing on her elbows and forearms as he began to move harder, faster.
She could already feel another orgasm rising, the delicious slide of his cock in and out of her body driving her pleasure higher and higher. Jake had positioned his legs outside of hers, so that her body was tight around him, her thighs pressing together, her pussy lips rubbing against her swollen clit while his balls slapped against her with every thrust.
Jake pulled his upper body back, his hands sliding away from her breasts, gripping her hips so he could ride her more forcefully. She fisted her hands in the sheets, practically sobbing at the intense sensations rippling through her. This was what she’d wanted, what she’d craved for months. Just good, hard, hot, raw sex with a man who took what he wanted and knew how to pleasure a woman.