Waste of Worth (DeLuca Duet Book 1)

by Bethany-Kris

  Whatever made her happy.

  Soon, Karen was at his side, her camera lowered as she too stared out over the lake. He took her in from the corners of his eyes, the swell of her hips under tiny, khaki shorts and the dip in her waste accentuated by the crop-top with a fringe bottom. She was always so professional at the restaurant, dressing for her job, the establishment, and the position she carried. Even when she was home alone, she dressed comfortably, but modestly.

  Here, Dino had gotten to see a bit more of Karen in a different element.

  He liked to think it was probably an element she was more comfortable in.

  “I’m going to miss it here,” she said.

  Dino nodded his agreement. “But we’ll come back.”

  “Yeah?”

  “As soon as I can get away.”

  Karen didn’t question him on what he had to get away from, and he was grateful. Without warning, her hand fell to the nape of his neck, her fingers threading through his hair. Subconsciously, Dino found himself leaning into her touch, his head resting against her thigh as her fingers ran over his scalp with tender strokes.

  “Could have woke me up,” she said softly.

  Dino shook his head. “I was up too early to be waking you up, too.”

  Karen laughed. “I do like to sleep in.”

  “Come here.” Dino grabbed Karen around the waist and pulled her giggling self into his lap, making the dock rock from the movement. Once she was situated in his lap, her camera forgotten to the dock as she straddled him with her hands cupping his jaw and his hands grasping firmly to her waist, he felt lighter again. Clear in the head, calm in his heart, and content in his soul.

  A soul that was usually so dark—battered, blackened, and wasted—was reborn with her.

  He was a little amazed by that, honestly.

  “Promise that’s all it was,” Karen said.

  Dino understood what she was asking—did a nightmare wake him up?

  “I’m good,” he promised.

  She smiled, then leaned forward and pressed her soft lips to his. It only took a slight shift of her hips on top of his groin, her lips parting to let his tongue dive in deeper, seeking out the heat and sweetness of her mouth, and the press of her hands against his chest, and Dino was falling backwards to the dock.

  Karen laughed above him, bending down to kiss him again.

  Silently, he offered her his hands, and she met his palms with her own without question. Their fingers weaved together, tangled tightly and she didn’t let go.

  “I almost don’t want to go back,” Karen said. “You spoiled me all weekend.”

  He had—late nights, later mornings, and he’d taken advantage of each one by seeing just how loudly Karen could scream his name in a forest where no one could hear her. On her knees, her back, or hell, standing up against a wall.

  Fun and games, he knew.

  It certainly had been fun.

  But every game came to an end, eventually.

  “We’ll be back,” he promised again.

  Maybe …

  Maybe next time, they wouldn’t have to leave.

  DINO swung the axe again, the heavy tool cutting fast through the air before slicing through the block of wood with ease. There was something relaxing about chopping wood.

  It certainly wasn’t that he and Karen needed wood for heat in the cabin. The weather was warm enough without the fireplace being put to use, but Karen had liked the sight and smell of it in the evening.

  Dino had gone out to the wood shed to bring in a handful of blocks—all they would need for their last night at the place—and noticed how the pile of split wood was getting a bit low. There was still lots of wood, it just wasn’t bucked up and ready for the fireplace.

  Of course, Dino hadn’t really needed to grab the old axe from the corner of the shed and get to work on splitting wood. He paid a guy to do all of that and a lot more where the property was concerned, but he was there, there was time, it was his place, so why not help while he could?

  Plus, the guy who looked after the place was in his mid-fifties. The man never complained, and he always took great care of the property just how Dino asked for him to, including keeping it warmed in the winter, which meant a drive out to the property at least once a day, if no one was living in the cabin, just to keep the fireplace full.

  And despite the fact they hadn’t actually needed the fireplace or the wood during their weekend visit to the property, Dino had been pleased to see there actually was enough split wood for them to use should they need to.

  That meant his guy was doing his job.

  Still, Dino had nothing better to do for a while, Karen was entertaining herself, and so he grabbed the axe, ready to work.

  He’d never found work quite this relaxing.

  Before he knew it, Dino had split a quarter of the cord of wood. His T-shirt had been hindering the force of his swing, so it now rested over top of the wood pile, forgotten. A bead of sweat trickled down his spine, reminding him that as relaxing as this was, it was still a goddamn workout.

  Another five or so swings later, and Dino was sure he had heard the screen door close—the side exit of the cabin. He couldn’t see it from his position to check, so he kept working. Grabbing another large block of wood, he set it up properly in front of him, grabbed the axe by the base with his left hand and the middle with his right, and swung. The block snapped into three pieces.

  The soft clearing of a throat stopped him from grabbing another bock. Dino used his previously discarded shirt to wipe his brow and chest before tossing it away again, and turning to face Karen.

  She wasn’t exactly looking at him—well, not his face.

  Her gaze traveled down the length of his body, lingering on his chest and then lower, stopping for a long while at the hard cut V of his groin where his pants hung low around his waist. Her tongue peeked out to wet her lips before disappearing back inside her mouth just as quickly.

  Karen’s gaze finally made its way back up to Dino’s face, and he cocked a brow at her, smug and silently questioning. Her cheeks turned the sweetest shade of pink he had ever seen in his life.

  “Find something you like?” he asked.

  Karen shifted on her feet, throwing a glance over her shoulder. “I wondered what was taking you so long.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question, sweetheart.”

  “You already know I like it, Dino.”

  “So say it.”

  Karen’s sheepish gaze turned almost playful. “I didn’t know you could chop wood. You’re kind of a pretty, city boy, aren’t you?”

  Dino scoffed. “Pretty, city boy?”

  “Kind of.”

  “I can also fix just about anything under the hood of a car. It’s good to have a set of skills.”

  To say the least …

  Karen nodded absently, although it seemed her attention was lost again as she eyed him up and down. Dino pretended like he didn’t notice her wandering stare as he reached for the axe and another block of wood.

  “I should—”

  “Stay and keep me company,” Dino urged.

  Karen’s gaze snapped back up to Dino’s face, but she didn’t look as embarrassed this time to be caught staring. “I might bother you.”

  Dino laughed. “How?”

  Karen shrugged. “A few different ways come to mind, and none of them involve helping you chop the wood.”

  The suggestive undertone to her words wasn’t lost on Dino.

  “Stay.”

  She did.

  Another ten minutes of Dino chopping wood and Karen not even trying to hide the fact she was staring passed them by. It was only when Dino tossed the axe back into the corner, done with the task, did Karen speak again.

  She’d perched herself up on the edge of an old picnic table. Leaning back, she used her palms for support to keep her upright, while her beautiful legs hung over the side, swinging to and fro.

  “I should have brought my camera out
for this.”

  Dino’s brows arched. “Why?”

  “Your body—it would have made nice pictures.”

  Dino glanced down, picking out at least five scars right off the bat on his torso—imperfections, marks left from his years of abuse, amongst other things.

  “I’m not sure about that,” he finally said.

  Karen snorted. “You’re beautiful. Men never have to work very hard—women think about eating a piece of cake and gain five pounds from guilt.”

  “I work out all the time,” Dino replied before he could think better of it. “It keeps me distracted and makes me too exhausted to think.”

  “Oh?”

  “All the time. My brother is the same way, but he wouldn’t admit it. We’re not exactly … friends.”

  Karen glanced away, her brow furrowing. “You’ve never mentioned a brother.”

  “Theo. He was the guy that was vetting the dancers at the club on the night you showed up looking for a job.”

  Recognition dawned in Karen’s eyes, and she turned red all over again. “Oh, my God. No wonder you haven’t introduced me.”

  Dino shook his head, wanting to get her thoughts away from whatever crazy place it was currently in. “Trust me, that’s not why.”

  “Then why not?”

  “Nothing to tell,” Dino said gruffly. “My brother and I, we’re not like that, anyway.”

  It wasn’t a total lie.

  “I have a sister, too,” Dino added. “Lily.”

  “Huh.”

  Karen still looked a bit dejected. Dino couldn’t have that. This was supposed to be a good weekend for her, and he didn’t want nonsense to ruin it for her. Strolling over to where she sat on the picnic table, Dino placed his hands under the skirt of Karen’s summer dress, feeling the silky smoothness of her thighs against his palms.

  “Smile,” he murmured, inching forward until her lips were just a breath away from his. “It makes me happy to see you smile.”

  Karen did, and then leaned forward just enough to kiss him softly. The softness in the kiss didn’t last for long—it never did between them.

  She was like a drug.

  He always wanted more.

  Dino spread Karen’s legs wider as he kissed her deeper, stepping closer and fitting himself tightly between her thighs. He tilted her head back, his tongue spearing into her mouth to war with hers. He loved the taste of her. Her softness and warmth never ended.

  A low, pleased hum built in the back of Karen’s throat. It echoed, reverberating straight through Dino’s entire body, washing his bloodstream with lust, and shooting straight down to his cock. Under his dark wash jeans, his length hardened and grew, making him painfully aware of his now aching erection.

  Karen’s legs wrapped around his waist, her heels digging into his lower back and pulling him even closer to her body. The cotton between her thighs pressing to his straining cock under his jeans was nothing more than a tease. He needed more of her. Always.

  “You know, I didn’t come out here to fuck, Dino.”

  He wasn’t really listening. He was more interested in pulling her dress higher while he kissed and nipped a path over the expanse of her neck. The taste of her was heavenly—addicting.

  “Do you want me to stop?” he asked roughly.

  Karen’s legs tightened around him again. “Hell no.”

  Good enough.

  “Shit … here, let me …”

  Dino trailed off, more inclined to show Karen what he wanted rather than waste time explaining it. His arm circled her waist, and he pulled her into his embrace and off the old picnic table at the same time. Her surprised gasp and then light laughter filled the air; he never felt more satisfied than when he heard that sound come from her and he was the cause of it. Easily, as though she didn’t weigh a thing, Dino turned them both around so he was the one sitting on the table, and she was in his lap.

  “That’s better,” he said.

  Karen smiled. “You were the one doing all the work out here.”

  “Exactly.”

  “My turn to do some work, Dino.”

  Dino didn’t get the chance to question Karen on what she meant before she was pushing out of his lap, her feet dropping to the ground. He understood perfectly well what she meant when her fingers ghosted over the bulge of his erection before she worked to get his button undone and the zipper pulled down.

  “Up,” she ordered.

  Dino obeyed, lifting his hips enough for her to tug his jeans down, his boxer-briefs following the same path. Her hands slipped under the black briefs and her warm palms found his hard cock, wrapping his length in a tight grip as she pulled his member free.

  “Relax,” he heard her whisper.

  Dino had been distracted by the sight of Karen’s fingers wrapping around his cock, the sensation of her fisting his length making him suddenly stupid in the head and damn near unable to speak. He hadn’t realized he had actually just been holding his breath.

  “I’m enjoying the show,” he said.

  Karen grinned sinfully. “It’s about to get a lot better.”

  He didn’t doubt that.

  Karen’s head dipped down low. Dino’s hand instinctively fisted into the strands of her hair, and then all he could feel was the satin smooth warmth of her mouth on his cock. She didn’t give him the chance to take another breath before she was taking him deeper into her throat, almost making him want to lay the hell back and let her go right to town.

  Instead, Dino stayed upright, watching Karen below him, sucking him off. Her lips tightened wonderfully at his base, and on the up slide, the lightest scrape of her teeth drove him fucking wild. The glimmer of saliva wetting his length and the way her lips turned a little pinker the longer and harder she sucked him was a beautiful sight.

  Fuck, yeah.

  He really liked the show.

  “Suck that cock, sweetheart.”

  Karen’s approving hum built in her chest, vibrating the base of Dino’s dick. He wanted to keep letting her do her thing—let her suck him fucking dry and swallow every drop he had to give her. He forced himself to drag her up from his cock, wanting to give her just as much as she gave him.

  “I was having fun,” she said, pouting.

  Dino laughed huskily. “Yeah, me too. Too much; that’s the problem. You need some fun, too.”

  He pulled Karen high to stand, kissing her hard as he slipped off the picnic table at the same time. Turning them around, Karen didn’t hesitate to bend over the table when Dino urged her to turn and pressed his hand to her lower back. He pushed the skirt of her dress over her ass, his hand fitting perfectly against her backside.

  Karen pushed back into his hand a second before his palm snapped along the swell of where her ass met the back of her thigh. Her skin turned the sweetest shade of pink instantly. Dragging his fingers down the line of her thong, he swept the digits under the material, only to find she was already wet, and so damned hot against his fingertips.

  Dino swallowed hard as he stroked her with his fingers. “That gets you wet, huh?”

  Karen looked back over her shoulder at him. “Hmm?”

  “Sucking me off—it gets you wet.”

  She didn’t look the least bit ashamed when she said, “Seems so.”

  Fuck.

  Dino wasn’t willing to wait any longer for what he wanted. He pulled Karen’s thong down over her thighs and the stretchy material dropped to her ankles before she widened her stance a bit for him. His hand ran up her spine, feeling the tremor spreading over her skin, as he lined the head of his cock up with her glistening sex.

  That first thrust was heaven.

  The second was a tight bliss.

  Dino wasn’t one for soft and slow when he fucked, because it was usually nothing more than a need he was filling, but it wasn’t quite the same with Karen. Even when he fucked her harder, he still felt a need to be soft in some way.

  His fingers dancing over her skin.

  A kiss to he
r shoulder blade.

  Whispered words in her ear.

  He needed those things for her just as much, if not more, than he needed to fill the need. It was strange and wonderful and terrifying, all at the same time.

  “Oh, God,” Karen mumbled.

  She held tight to the table for purchase, her profile washed in bliss.

  That was probably the best sight of all.

  Dino didn’t relent in his harsh, fast pace, not even when she came the first time … or the second time when his fingers had slipped between her thighs to find her clit and work it, too.

  He held back from coming until she begged him to; until she was looking over her shoulder again, asking him for it, wanting it.

  Then he came.

  And only then.

  “WAVE to the detectives,” Theo said as Dino stepped out of the club.

  The club was closed given it was early morning, but that didn’t mean it was shut down entirely. A lot of Dino’s business on the illegal side of things happened throughout the day at the club, like exchanges. Dealers came in with money and left with product, for example.

  “What?”

  “Wave.” Theo pointed and then waved, only his middle finger popped up at the same time. “See, wave at them. Right over there.”

  Sure enough, just across the parking lot, two men leaned against an unmarked, dark sedan. Dino wasn’t sure if it was his lifestyle or history with cops and FBI agents, but he couldn’t miss one even if he tried. Maybe it was the way they all dressed—slacks, dress shirts, and cheap blazers—or perhaps it was the way they carried themselves.

  Or shit, maybe it was the stink that wafted off them.

  The stench of cop.

  Regardless of what it was that made officials so obvious to Dino, fact was, he didn’t like to deal with them at all. It had been literally beaten into him that no matter what kind of cop they were, they all came out smelling the same when they were either dead, or had a man locked up.

  “Showed up about ten minutes ago,” Theo informed. “One of the guys came to let me know.”

  Dino adjusted his jacket, still watching the pair of detectives from the corner of his eye. “They didn’t approach anyone?”

  “Not yet.” Theo shrugged, his cigarette bouncing on his lips as he spoke. “But then again, maybe they didn’t need to approach someone because the person they were looking for hadn’t showed themselves yet.”