With a chuckle, she lowered onto him, easing the swollen head of his cock between the lips of her pussy. His hands found a home on her hips as he applied pressure to coax her downward.
“Oh, no.” She raised his arms above his head. “I’m running this show.”
He groaned, surrendering to her pace. He leaned up just enough to reach her breasts. His mouth latched onto a nipple, sending her quivering against him. He treated the other nipple to the same tugging action, and her eyelids fluttered.
She worked her hips in a slow circle, allowing her body to adjust to his size.
“You’re killing me,” he rasped.
Trella stopped moving. She lowered her chest to his, brushing her sensitized nipples against the sparse patch of curly hair. A sheen of sweat covered his chest, making his golden skin glisten. She licked his Adam’s apple in slow strokes.
“Need…you.” He squeezed his eyes shut. His hands roamed her back, pressing her closer.
She took more of him inside, sinking lower onto his length until she completely engulfed him. He groaned and tightened his fingers on her hips, holding her still. He pulsed inside her.
She moved in a slow, lazy rhythm, wanting to make it last as long as she could. His muscles tensed, but he didn’t interfere with the pace she set.
She lifted her hips then circled them as she worked her way back down. She captured his lips in a passionate kiss, holding nothing back from him.
He bent his knees, meeting her thrust for thrust. He filled her, deeply and completely, until he seemed a part of her. She tried to stave off her orgasm, to keep enjoying the fullness of him, but the pleasure proved too much.
She allowed him to control the increased pace. She caressed her breasts, squeezing her nipples as he had done.
Her muscles clenched him as she came, sending him over the edge after her. She fell against him, and her hands brushed through his hair as she lost a part of herself but gained a part of him.
“Estrella!” His body pulsed inside her. He caught her lips in a hot kiss.
She never felt so complete yet open and vulnerable at the same time. His kiss reassured her as he let her know she wasn’t alone in experiencing those feelings. Her arms wound around his neck.
Carlos broke the kiss to allow her to breathe. He was in heaven. His fantasy had come true. She was every bit the passionate lover he’d hoped she would be.
He didn’t want to investigate the strange, tender feelings coursing through him. Normally, after a woman was in his bed, he didn’t waste much time getting her out. But with Trella, he didn’t want her to leave. He was content to have her lie on him, their scents mingling in a fragrance he knew he’d always remember.
He stroked her hair back from her face.
She rubbed his nose with hers. “Hungry?”
He thrust his pelvis against hers. “For you.”
“You’re insatiable.”
He nuzzled her neck. “We’re insatiable.”
She laughed. “Perhaps.” She stretched against him. “I know we need a shower, but I don’t think my legs can hold my weight.”
He slid his feet around her calves. “I’ll hold you up.”
“You’re doing that now.”
In one smooth move, he rolled until she lay on her back. He braced his weight on his forearms. “One long, hot shower coming up.”
He rose to his feet then removed the condom. In the bathroom, he turned on the water. He returned to the bedroom. Scooping his hands beneath her back, he picked her up.
“You’re light as a feather. We need to hurry and put some weight on you.”
She swatted his shoulder as he carried her into the bathroom. “Excuse me?”
“The way I see it, if we’re expending this much energy each time we make love, you’ll need to gain a few pounds.”
Trella swallowed. “Don’t call it that.” She wriggled against him, and he set her down. “We aren’t making love, Carlos.”
Feeling oddly put out by her declaration, he met her gaze in the mirror. “What do you think we did?”
She shrugged. “We had sex.”
He laughed. “If it makes you happy, we’ll use whatever label you want.”
She nodded, a broad smile on her face as she stepped into the shower.
He followed. He’d never experienced a connection that touched his entire being before. Surely she didn’t believe the magnitude of what they’d shared was anything short of making love. He understood her apprehension. She was frightened. His response to her scared him a bit, too, but he wasn’t running from it.
She was putting up walls again. Too bad he knew all the ways through them.
Chapter Ten
Carlos awoke as soon as the sky lightened the room. He lay wrapped around Trella’s warm body. They hadn’t slept much. He’d reached for her time after time in the middle of the night. Each time he came, he believed his desire for her was sated, but whenever he looked at her he hardened for her again.
He was under her spell and falling deeper every day. Despite her reluctance to consider their activities as “lovemaking”, her soft whispers and touches spoke louder than she knew.
Carlos brushed a hand from below her breast to rest on top of a rounded hip. He’d never been one to pursue a long-term relationship with a woman, but Trella made him entertain the idea of a future with her.
He wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her tantalizing body again, but if he hurried, he could catch the guys before their weekly basketball game. Unwilling to disturb her, he slipped from the bed. Long lashes lay against her cheeks, while her plump breasts played peek-a-boo with the sheet each time she took a breath.
He left a note on the nightstand before giving her a kiss on the cheek. Downstairs, he took a quick shower then dressed.
Carrying the framed painting from last night, he climbed into his Jeep.
Twenty minutes later, Carlos arrived at the city park. He cut the engine then climbed out. Donovan and Jackson pulled up behind him. Jose stood on the court, dribbling a ball.
“Can’t believe you haven’t play with us since Louis died,” Jose stated as Carlos joined him.
“Yeah, you just had to go take a job in Las Vegas.” Jackson joked.
“Yeah yeah, it’s my fault.” Carlos nodded at Donovan. “Me and you, Don, against Jackson and Jose.”
Jose threw the ball out first. Carlos tried to steal the ball from Jackson but misstepped, allowing Jackson to score an easy lay-up.
“Vegas made you soft.” Donovan chided him. “My wife is more of a challenge than you are.”
Carlos’ lips tightened. “Haven’t played in a while is all.”
“Great. And I have to be your partner,” Donovan grumbled.
The longer they played, the more at ease he felt on the court. They traded points for points, but at the end, his team won by two.
Donovan awarded him with a congratulatory slap on the back. “You’re the shit, man.”
Carlos didn’t stop a grin from creasing his face. He’d missed the camaraderie with the guys.
Jose handed him a bottle of water. “Why are you hanging around Trella?” he asked in his typical blunt fashion.
Carlos tipped the bottle, allowing the liquid to quench his thirst. “Protecting her. The way Louis asked me to.”
Jose shot him a hard look. “I saw the way you looked at her.”
His jaw pulsed. “Let it go.”
“Take your own advice,” Jose returned.
Carlos waylaid Jose with a hand on his arm. “Are you warning me off?”
Jose shook his head. “You always did like challenges. She interested in you?”
Things were new with Trella, and he didn’t want to mess them up because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. “Hell, man. What do I have to offer her?”
Jose gave Carlos an appraising look. “Maybe you’ve already given her what she needs.”
“Stop with the enigmatic statements. You can bet one thing—I won�
�t lose her to Rodriguez.”
Jackson joined them. “Did I hear the good councilman’s name?”
“Yeah, he’s interested in Trella,” Carlos answered.
Donovan strode toward them, ball in hand. He grinned, a knowing gleam in his eyes. “Is she attending the dinner at his house tonight?”
Carlos frowned. “She hasn’t mentioned it.”
“My wife’s cousin works in his office. I was contacted to provide security at his place, and the guys are up for a bit of extra work. Jose filled us in on Louis’ suspicions. Look, man, if you happen to slip inside while we aren’t looking, we can’t stop you.” Donovan shrugged.
Carlos shook his head. “I don’t want you guys involved if anything goes down.”
“The moment Louis was shot, we became involved,” Jose chimed in.
Jackson nodded. “We’ll be on patrol. You get in the house. Do what you have to do.”
Carlos crossed his arms in front of him. “Thanks, man. All of you.”
“BB5, bro.” Jackson stretched. “Sorry to run, but I’ve got a shift today.”
“Me, too,” Donovan added.
Carlos watched them head off the court, leaving him with Jose. “Nothing turned up on the phone trace, did it?”
Jose absently dribbled the ball. “The person is using a disposable cell.”
“What about the license plate?”
“Unless the vehicle you saw was a silver ’05 Toyota Tacoma, the tag wasn’t legit.”
Carlos blew his breath out in a rush at the news of yet another dead end. “Wasn’t a truck.” He tossed his empty water bottle into the trash. “Got something else I need you to check into.”
He retrieved the painting from the passenger seat and filled Jose in on how the picture was delivered.
Jose gave a low whistle. “You want this official?”
“As off the record as possible.”
“Gotcha.”
“Miguel and Trella handled it, but there might be a useful fingerprint somewhere.”
Jose cleared his throat. “How well do you know Melissa?”
Carlos patted him on the back. “Trella mentioned she saw sparks between the two of you. Guess she was right.”
Jose elbowed him. “Give me the facts.”
“Single. An RN. Will rip you a new one faster than you can say her name.”
“Our futures are entwined.”
Carlos let the comment pass, trusting whatever vision Jose experienced. He’d keep the tidbit to himself, though. If he mentioned it to Trella, she’d no doubt start planning a wedding.
Jose nodded. “Watch yourself at Rodriguez’s. You know what it’ll mean if the man spots you.”
He grinned. “Yep. I’ll feel the full weight of the councilman’s power.”
* * * * *
Carlos placed the glass of lemonade on the kitchen counter. He stared out the window but didn’t appreciate the beauty of the sun setting over the mountains or the twinkling lights dotting the valley below.
He drummed his fingers on the granite surface. Trella was hiding. By the time he’d returned, she was painting. He’d let her know he was back but otherwise didn’t interrupt. When she didn’t come in for a break, he knew something bothered her.
Carlos wiped a hand along his nape. Registering a sudden change in the environment, he turned around to discover the subject of his thoughts wearing a tan t-shirt streaked with paint splotches and a pair of khakis, which he’d come to think of as her uniform. His body stirred with the memory of caressing her soft curves.
Trella opened the fridge, studied the contents then removed a gallon of tea. She filled a glass and added some ice.
“Hector invited me to a dinner tonight at his house.” The words were uttered with no emotion whatsoever, as if she’d spent the day practicing how best to diffuse a volatile situation.
With his back against the counter, Carlos crossed his arms in front of his body. She couldn’t face him, yet she had no problem going out with another man? Anger rose inside him, but he reined it in.
“When did he call you with the invitation?” he asked, keeping his voice low and controlled.
“His assistant called while we were in Vegas.”
“And you’re remembering to tell me now?” Carlos sipped his lemonade. “Why not last night…before you grew hoarse from calling my name?”
She sighed, still not looking at him. “It slipped my mind.”
He refused to let her off the hook. “Did you forget when we discovered the painting? How about when you hugged the toilet?”
She sighed. “I meant to tell you.”
His frustration grew. “Looking for the right time?”
She nodded. “I knew you’d be angry, but Hector will be suspicious if I cancel the day of the event.”
“Last night meant something, Trella.” At least to me.
She finally faced him. “Carlos, what happened between us was fantastic. But I’m under no illusion it’s a lasting or a permanent thing.” She shrugged. “I needed someone, and you were here.”
He stiffened, listening to her explain away their intimacy as he had himself with women in the past. But hearing her say those same words about him made him grit his teeth. “I was the closest man around. Understood.”
“You have Bambi. What else do you want?”
I want you. The words stuck in his throat, his gut telling him she wouldn’t believe him.
She downed her tea then placed the glass in the sink. “Figures. You don’t know.”
“We aren’t done.” He ground out the words.
She put her hands on her hips. “Trust me, we are. I have work to do, which doesn’t involve falling into bed with you.”
He brushed a hand through his hair. The gallery showing was important to her. He should be focusing his attention on shutting down Hector’s operation. Instead, all he could think about was her.
He placed his glass on the counter. “If you see me at Hector’s house, don’t react to my presence.” He meant what he said about keeping her safe. Having her in attendance threw a wrench in his plans, but the guys would look out for her.
“What’s going on?”
“The guys are working security at Hector’s house.”
“And you’ll be…?”
“Finding out as much as I can about his dealings.”
She smirked. “You aren’t planning to irritate Hector with your presence?”
“Sweetheart, if he knows I’m there, I’m not doing my job.” He stroked his chin. “Tell me you don’t have an ulterior motive for gaining access to his home.” His gaze raked her body. “Don’t intend to flirt with him? No batting your eyelashes or flashing a bit of your soft, gorgeous skin?” He took a step closer to her with each question until he stood toe-to-toe with her. “No games at all?”
She licked her lips, drawing his attention to their plumpness.
He rested his hands on her hips then tugged her closer until their bodies were flush with each other. “Hector wouldn’t be human if the thought of kissing you hasn’t crossed his mind. I’ve thought about tasting you again all day.” He whispered the words into her ear then dragged his lips against the exposed surface of her neck.
“I’m not planning to seduce him, but I can look around.” She spoke in a sudden, breathy voice.
“I don’t like to share.” He slid a hand between them, drawing the zipper of her khakis down. “You said we were only together because you needed someone last night, and I happened to be around.” Before she uttered a word, he slid a hand inside her pants, encountering soft cotton. “Well, I need to have someone come on my fingers, and you happen to be available.”
He slid the crotch aside. She stiffened as he stroked her clit.
She moved against him, the wetness between her legs increasing.
He sank two fingers inside her pussy. “All for me?”
A spark of defiance appeared in her eyes, and she lifted her chin. “It would happen if anyone touched me.�
��
Chuckling, Carlos removed his hand. “You’re adorable when you lie.” He sucked his fingers into his mouth. “And tasty.”
Trella’s teeth worried her bottom lip. “Are you stopping?”
“Do you want me to?”
She pushed against his chest. “I don’t care what you do, Carlos Diaz.”
“Your body disagrees.” He returned his hand between her legs.
She stiffened against him. He stroked her clit with the pad of his thumb while he wet his fingers with the abundant honey from her pussy. She trembled, clutching his shirt.
He groaned. “So responsive.”
He kissed her, coaxing her mouth open. She tangled his tongue with hers, and he pulled away.
“You want more don’t you?”
She didn’t respond.
“Answer or I stop.”
She glared daggers at him. “Yes.”
He eased a third finger inside her. Her lids slid closed.
“Open your eyes.”
Her lids fluttered open but closed again. “I can’t.”
“Keep them open, sweetheart. Watch me please you.” Eager for relief, his cock throbbed against his jeans. His hand stilled. “Do it or I stop.”
“Please,” she panted.
Her body was soft against him, open for whatever he provided. He groaned, holding himself rigid. He wanted to rip her clothes off and sink inside her.
The sounds of her wet pussy welcoming his touch pushed his need to sink inside her higher. Her fingers tightened against his biceps, nails digging into his flesh.
“I remember how good your pussy felt around me, so tight.” He stroked the lips of her pussy, making them slick with her wetness before easing his fingers inside her once again. He strummed his thumb against her clitoris, driving her faster and faster toward completion.
“Car-los!” Her pussy pulsed around his fingers, and she shook against him. She clutched his biceps, her nails marking his skin, but she kept her gaze locked with his.
He kissed her, gently nipping at her plump bottom lip as her breathing slowly normalized. He slid his fingers from her panties then zipped up her pants. “I don’t play around with what’s mine.”
Trella stiffened. “I’m not yours, Carlos. I belonged to Louis.”
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