“Hey there, heartbreaker,” he said as his arms circled her. “Where are you rushing off to?”
A group of girls tried to squeeze past, and Justin inched them both out of their way, boxing Chloe in against the wall with his delicious body. His muscular thighs pressed against her pelvis, and his hips brushed her belly, causing her nipples to pebble and burn. She swallowed hard, telling herself not to notice anything else, like the wolfish grin spreading his lips. Oh God, your lips…She’d been thinking about kissing those lips for a long time, but even more ardently since a few weeks ago, when he’d come over to help her fix her shutters during a storm. They’d been this close to kissing, and she’d known they wouldn’t have stopped there. She was certain that sex with Justin would rock her world. But she was past that reckless time of her life when flings were fun and friendships with guys were disposable.
She tried to think of something other than the feel of his enticingly hard body pressing temptingly against her, but the only other thought she found was based on the very thing she was trying to ignore—Justin Wicked definitely lived up to the nickname Emery had given him: Long Dong Naked Man. She told herself not to think about that. She’d never seen Justin with a date, but she’d heard him joking with their friends enough to realize he was still in that reckless phase, and she did not need to be his next conquest. No matter how good he felt.
“Have I rendered you speechless, beautiful?”
He was looking at her like he wanted to devour her, and that did wicked things to all her best parts. “No,” she managed.
“What happened, sweetheart? Another Ken doll leave you unsatisfied tonight?” he asked in a low, deep voice.
She couldn’t help but wonder how that voice would change in the throes of passion. Would he be demanding? Tender? Romantic? Too lost to speak? She really needed to get a grip. She had so much pent-up sexual frustration she felt like a cat in heat.
She lifted her chin and said, “I left him unsatisfied.” Just as she’d been leaving men for more than a year.
His eyes drilled into her. “None of those guys are good enough for you.”
“I’m not with them, am I?” she countered.
“You sure as hell aren’t, and there’s a reason. You’re your own woman, baby. Smart, confident, challenging. But you’re wrong in your assumptions, and one day you’ll realize that.” He leaned in, speaking just above a whisper. “A few weeks ago you were so close to finding all the answers you’re looking for.”
He trailed his rough hands up her arms and rested them on her bare shoulders. His fingers moved lightly along her skin, making her insides turn to liquid heat. He pressed forward, bringing his entire body flush with hers. He touched his cheek to hers. His scruff prickled her skin, and her mind traveled down that dirty path again. What would those whiskers feel like as they kissed?
“Your place, baby. Remember?” He spoke directly into her ear in a gravelly voice that sent pangs of lust darting through her. “The night of the storm.”
Geez! Had he read her mind earlier? Heard her thoughts?
That night came rushing back, making her heart thunder and her body want. They’d gotten soaked in the storm, and when they’d come inside, Justin had peeled off his shirt, revealing planes of toned, wet flesh and dark ink. She’d wanted to lick the droplets off his glistening skin as he’d tipped his head back and guzzled a glass of water. She could still see those trails dripping down his abs to the waist of his low-slung jeans. When he’d set down his glass and turned, they’d been almost in this exact same position, only she’d been leaning against the counter. She wasn’t usually attracted to tattoos, but they looked beautiful and dangerous on Justin. The good kind of dangerous. Like the dark fantasies she’d had about him ever since.
“You remember,” he whispered in her ear. “You felt it, too.”
She’d felt it then as strongly as she did now. She pressed her lips together to keep from admitting the truth—her body was on fire. But she couldn’t do this. She didn’t want a one-night stand or a broken heart. She had to regain control before she either combusted or took the kiss she craved.
Steeling herself against the raging inferno between them, she narrowed her eyes and said, “All I remember from that night was you walking out my door.”
“Is that so?” he asked in a seductive growl, gazing entrancingly into her eyes. He ran his hand up her outer thigh and hip, squeezing gently as he leaned in again and said, “You don’t remember getting wet? I know you felt it, sweet thing, just like you feel it pulsing inside you right now, burning through your veins, making you crave more. You feel it in those inescapable vibrations that are making it difficult for you to think. No man on earth can make you feel like I do.”
She pressed her thighs together. Lord help her. She was no match for this man.
He brushed his scruff along her cheek and said, “Feel that clench in your belly? The dampness in your panties?” He squeezed her hip again. “The way your pulse just skyrocketed when I talked about your panties?”
A strangled, lustful sound escaped before she could stop it. She clenched her mouth shut to keep anything else from coming out.
“You hesitated the night of the storm, sweetheart. That’s why I left,” he said authoritatively into her ear, then softer, “I’ll never force myself on you.” He drew back, pinning her in place with another hungry stare. “When you stop running and give in to what you really want, you’ll feel like this every time we’re together. Only better, because you’ll know you’re mine.”
He licked his lips, and holy mother of hotness, she could barely breathe.
“See you back at the table, sexy girl.”
He walked away, and the air rushed from her lungs. Her head fell back against the wall, and she tried to catch her breath. How the hell was she going to make it through the night at the same table with the man who nearly made her come with nothing more than the hard press of his body and a few sinful sentences?
THERE WAS NOTHING cool about having a hard-on for a woman in public. But watching Chloe get her groove on with the girls on the dance floor was the sexiest thing Justin had ever seen. She was smokin’ hot in that clingy top, her slim hips swaying to the beat. Her silky hair whipped around her face as she and the other girls dodged Tegan’s flailing arms. Tegan Fine was a cute, confident little blonde, but she was an awful dancer. The way Jett was gazing at her, Justin knew Tegan had found her perfect match. The same way he was sure he’d found his own.
As Chloe gathered the girls on the dance floor to take a selfie, Justin thought about his friends at the table. He’d heard Chloe talking with the girls about Gavin and Jett before they’d coupled off with her friends, and he knew they were the type of guy she saw herself with. Clean-cut professionals. Gavin was an interior designer, and Jett was an investor. But Justin knew it wasn’t their careers that made the difference. There was more to whatever was holding her back. Chloe might be classy, but she wasn’t a snob.
“Gavin, are you riding with us Sunday?” Justin asked. Gavin had moved into town a couple of years ago to start a business with Serena. He had been single then, and they had quickly become buddies. They spent less time together now that he was married, but he’d turned Gavin on to motorcycles, and they rode together as often as they could.
“Only if I get a road name.” Gavin grinned.
Chloe’s voice sailed through Justin’s mind. Gavin has a cute boyish grin. He’s the ideal mix of professional and fun. There was nothing boyish about Justin. She’d called Jett handsome as a movie star and intriguing, but she’d never made a move on either of them when they were single. He glanced at the dance floor, where she was bumping and grinding with the girls. He’d seen the restraint in her eyes when they were in the hallway, had practically tasted her desire. He had to hand it to her. She had a will of steel. One day you’ll own up to the fact that I’m the only man you want to be with.
“They call you Maverick. I can be Goose,” Gavin said. “Top Gun, bro.
Think about it.”
Justin sat back and said, “You’ve got to earn a road name, brother. How long have I been telling you to prospect the Dark Knights?”
“Since you convinced me to ride a motorcycle, but I’m a busy man. I’ve got my business and my beautiful wife.” Gavin glanced over his shoulder at Harper dancing with the girls and said, “Look at that woman. I’m the luckiest guy on the planet.”
“No, sir. I’ve got that slot sewn up. But we won’t get in a pissing match over who’s woman is hotter.” Jett looked at Justin and said, “Looks like you’re the odd man out.”
“Not for long. That tall, blond bombshell out there will be on my arm soon.”
“You’d better stake your claim fast,” Gavin warned. “Beckett was asking about Chloe when he called last night. He’s thinking about coming up sometime this summer.” Beckett was Gavin’s younger brother, a wealthy investor who lived in Oak Falls, Virginia.
“I’m not worried, man. Beckett’s a good guy, but he’s not me.” Justin took a drink and said, “Before I forget, Dwayne is holding an open adoption in a few weeks. Doesn’t every married couple need a dog?”
“Maybe we’ll stop by,” Gavin said. “Harper loves dogs, but I’m not sure we can adopt until the end of the year. She and Tegan are pretty busy with productions right now.”
“Whenever, man. There’s never a shortage of dogs, and they all need loving homes. Jett, my man, save a four-legged friend? I bet Tegan would love a furry buddy.”
“I’d love to, but like Gavin said, Teg’s busy with the amphitheater and your old man’s going to be renovating her house in the fall. But I heard Dean and Emery talking about getting a puppy before their baby is born. I’ll mention it to them.”
“Thanks, man.”
The girls came off the dance floor giggling and whispering. Chloe held out her phone and said, “Will one of you take a picture of us?”
Justin snagged her phone, and as Chloe put one arm around Harper and the other around Daphne, he started taking pictures. Damn she looked good.
Tegan and Steph joined them, and the girls posed for one serious picture, all bright smiles, and then began making silly faces and giving each other bunny ears as Justin clicked away.
“Thank you!” Chloe said, retrieving her phone.
The girls huddled around her as she scrolled through the pictures. They all giggled, and Chloe looked at Justin. “You took a dozen pictures of me,” she complained, but there was no hiding the spark of intrigue in her eyes. “Close-ups.”
“What can I say? You stood out.”
Chloe put her hand on her hip, eyes narrowing as she struggled to stifle the smile tugging at her lips, and said, “Justin…”
“I want copies. Text them to me.” He winked, earning more laughs from the others.
Chloe rolled her eyes. “In your dreams.”
“Fantasies,” Harper said, making Chloe blush.
“Oh yeah,” Gavin said. “Definitely fantasies.”
Chloe scowled at him.
“Keep scrolling, hot stuff.” Justin motioned toward the phone and said, “I took group shots, too. I’d never let my girl down.”
“I’m not your girl,” Chloe insisted.
“Yet, babydoll. We both know where we’re heading.”
Daphne’s eyes widened. “Oooh. Sounds like something’s brewing.”
“Something hot and delicious,” Steph added.
“Yeah, a witch’s brew,” Chloe said.
“Sounds more like a love potion to me,” Tegan added.
Chloe swatted her arm. “Don’t encourage him.”
“Oh my gosh. Listen!” Harper exclaimed, and the girls quieted. “It’s ‘All to Myself!’ Come on, Gav! It’s one of our songs.” She grabbed Gavin’s hand and dragged him toward the dance floor. Chloe, Daphne, and Steph followed them out.
“Come on, Jett!” Tegan urged.
“My pleasure, beautiful.” Jett took her hand and led her to the dance floor.
Justin sat back, taking it all in. While most of the girls had moves that could probably lure men from their seats, he was mesmerized by Chloe. Colored lights misted down over her as she moved seductively to the beat, a visual feast of sensuality. Her hips swiveled, and her arms snaked toward the ceiling with fluidity and grace. She tipped her face up and closed her eyes, as if the music lived inside her.
Justin wanted to live inside her.
At a nearby table, two guys were talking about a hot blonde and ogling Chloe.
“Fuck this.” He was done messing around. Justin pushed to his feet and strode onto the dance floor. He swept an arm around Chloe’s waist, hauling her against him.
“What the…?” Chloe’s eyes focused and turned fierce.
“Sorry, girls, but this dance is mine.” Justin was speaking to Daphne and Steph, but his eyes remained locked on Chloe as he began moving to the beat. “Right, hot stuff? Or are you afraid to dance with a real man, too?”
“I never said I was afraid of anything. Think you can keep up, biker boy?” She ran her hands down his chest, her eyes narrowing provocatively as she swung her hips from side to side, brushing against his cock with a challenging grin on her face.
“Baby, I can keep up all night long.” He slid his hand down her back, spreading it over her ass and holding her tighter against him as he met her move for move. “I’ll never leave you unsatisfied.”
Her eyes darkened, even more alluring and defiant. The song changed to a faster beat, with lyrics about busting loose and taking their clothes off. Perfect.
Chloe rolled one shoulder back, then the other, moving forward and back in a tempting dance that had him following suit. His hands moved down her torso, and she turned in his arms, rubbing her ass against him. Her arms rose over her head, slithering in the air. He wound his arms around her from behind and ran one hand down her thigh, the other up her belly. His fingertips grazed the underside of her breasts, and he felt her breathing hitch. She turned, facing him again. The game-on message in her eyes was received loud and clear. She could try to outseduce him, but he didn’t play games.
He played for keeps.
Her gorgeous eyes held his, their bodies rocking and grinding erotically. The people, the music, and every other thing in the damn bar faded to black. Chloe was all Justin saw, all he felt, and all he wanted. Their hands groped greedily as their bodies moved to a sensual beat all their own. When she danced in a circle in front of him, he tugged her back against his chest and wedged his knee between her legs. Her ass moved enticingly against his cock. He lowered his mouth to her shoulder and dragged his tongue along her hot flesh. He expected her to jerk free, but she must have been as lost in them as he was, because she made a salacious sound, spurring him on. He sealed his mouth over the curve of her neck and, holy fucking hell, she ground her ass harder against him.
Her skin was sweet and hot and so damn delicious he trailed kisses up her neck and nipped her earlobe just hard enough to get her attention as he practically growled, “Turn around.”
Her eyes met his with the heat of a thousand suns. She was breathless and flushed, and for the first time ever she appeared completely unguarded. But as quickly as that sight registered, Chloe lifted her chin with a glimmer of victory in her eyes. How she snapped out of that lust-induced state so fast was beyond him. But he was right there with her, feeling triumphant for achieving that momentary peek at the unguarded beauty. He met every sway of her hips with a celebratory grind of his own.
“All night long, sweet thing,” he said, earning an extra-sinful grin. The images of her breathless and vulnerable had seared into his mind right beside the one of the victorious glimmer in her eyes. He’d finally gotten under her skin, even if only for a moment.
His phone rang with Preacher’s ringtone, and for the first time in his adult life, he wanted to ignore it. He wanted to stay right there, with Chloe’s sexy body writhing against him, drinking in the incredible I-want-you look in her eyes. It wasn’t lost on him tha
t the other night he’d thought her date was an idiot for taking a call and here he was preparing to answer one himself.
But club and family came first.
Always.
Fuck. He pulled the phone from his pocket and put it to his ear. “Yeah?” He continued dancing despite the disapproving look in Chloe’s eyes.
“It’s Grandpa,” Preacher said. “He’s in the hospital.”
Justin’s gut seized. “I’m on my way.” He shoved his phone in his pocket, kissed Chloe’s cheek, and said, “Sorry, gorgeous. I’ve got to go,” and headed for the table, where Gavin was sitting with Jett.
Gavin turned as he approached. “Hey, man, you two—”
“I’ve got to take off. Make sure Chloe gets home okay for me?”
“You know I will. Everything okay?” Gavin asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve got to go. Thanks, man.” Justin glanced over his shoulder on his way to the door and saw Chloe watching him with a mix of concern and disbelief.
He gritted his teeth. Worry for his grandfather warred with the desire burning through his veins. He pushed through the door, and the cool night air brought reality rushing in. As he climbed on his bike, the fear of losing Mike overshadowed everything else.
Chapter Five
JUSTIN STOOD BESIDE Mike’s hospital bed between Preacher and Conroy, holding his grandfather’s frail hand. The Dark Knights had shown up en masse, filling Mike’s room and spilling into the hallway. Mike had fallen and hit his head on a counter. Seven stitches and several tests later, they were keeping him in the hospital overnight for observation.
“Tell these guys I’m fine and take me home, will you, Maverick?” Mike said in a craggy voice. “I don’t need doctors poking at me.”
At seventy-nine years old, Mike Wicked was just as ornery as ever. With wispy gray hair, a square jaw, thin lips, and blue-gray eyes, he was a dead ringer for Clint Eastwood in his and Justin’s favorite movie, Gran Torino. They’d watched it together too many times to count. But the tough old man looked slight and pale in the hospital gown with a bandage on his head.
A Little Bit Wicked (The Wickeds Page 5