Now Or Never (Erotic Romance) Book 2 (The DeLuca Brothers)

by DuBois, Lucinda

  She dropped her keys on the table and kicked off her shoes. Before she made herself anything for dinner, there was a different hunger that she wanted to satisfy. She dropped her shirt on the ground as she crossed to the worn thrift-store couch she’d purchased yesterday. One of the things she’d always loved about living by herself was being able to do what she wanted when and where she wanted to do it. She stretched out on the couch, resting her head on the arm as she got comfortable.

  She closed her eyes and let her fingers brush over her bare stomach and up to her breasts. She traced along the edges of her lace bra, touching the smooth skin of one breast, then the other. As she began to unsnap the front of her bra, she let her mind wander.

  The skin on his hands was rough against the soft skin of her stomach. When he opened the clasp on her bra, her breasts fell free. He made a noise in the back of his throat as he reached for them, palming their heavy weight. His thumb brushed over one nipple and she moaned, the sensitive skin instantly responding. He smiled and bent his head to take the peach-colored nub between his lips. His finger and thumb worked over her other nipple as he began to lavish attention to the one in his mouth.

  Cecile tugged on her nipples, making them into hard little bullet points. What would it be like to have Anthony’s hands and mouth on her breasts? Would he be gentle, letting his tongue caress her flesh? Would his lips close tight around her nipple, sucking on it until she writhed beneath him? Was he a teeth man, enjoying the little gasps and squeals he could elicit by scraping his teeth over her sensitive flesh, by biting her? Did he prefer to use his fingers, rolling and pulling until her nipples stood at attention? Would he worry at them until they throbbed, approaching the point of pain, until she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to stop or to keep going until she came? Would he be able to make her climax just from playing with her nipples?

  She slid her hands down over her stomach to her jeans, parting her legs ever so slightly. Once she’d undone the button and pulled down the zipper, she returned her left hand to her breasts. Her right hand moved to the waistband of her panties. As her fingers slipped beneath the elastic, images filled her mind once more.

  He stood behind her, his arms around her waist. The wind was brisk as they watched the boats on the river, but neither of them really felt the cold. In fact, Cecile was quite warm pressed up against Anthony. His hands slid beneath the hem of her shirt, up over her denim-clad hips to find her bare skin. It was a good thing she’d decided to wear a long sweater today, Cecile thought as Anthony’s fingers worked open her pants. She shifted her stance as Anthony’s hand moved lower, sliding beneath the soft cotton, his skin cool against hers.

  He pressed his mouth against her ear. “My fingers are cold, but I bet you’re nice and warm inside.”

  She gasped as he parted her folds. Her own skin had been cool enough that there hadn’t been much of a temperature difference on her stomach. Between her legs, however, the contrast was drastic. His fingers probed at her, rubbing over her clit until she was shivering, and only partly from the cold.

  “I want you to cum for me.” His breath puffed hot against her ear. “Cum right here, with people all around us. I want you to cum while we stand here, my fingers in your pussy, knowing that, at any moment, someone could figure out what we’re doing.” He pushed his fingers into her tight channel and she sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. “Cum for me.”

  Cecile shuddered as she came. She slid her fingers lower, letting the heel of her palm press against her clit. The pressure made her orgasm spike and she cried out. Her back arched as she dipped her fingers into her sopping pussy. Her jeans pressed her hand tight against her, not giving her the room to thrust her digits into her cunt, forcing her to keep the movements shallow. The friction made her writhe, bucking up against her hand as sounds spilled from her mouth.

  They’d been fucking for hours, in more positions and ways than she’d imagined possible. His hands holding her head against his crotch, his cock deep in her throat. His mouth on her pussy, tongue licking her from ass to clit. Face to face, their bodies pressed together until they couldn’t tell where one of them began and the other one ended. Her on top, breasts bouncing as she rode him. Him behind her while she was on all fours, his body curling over hers as he rapidly thrust into her. His finger in her ass as he pushed her flat on the bed and slammed into her. Her ankles crossed behind her neck, body bent nearly in two. She’d lost count of the number of times she’d climaxed, knowing only that her throat was sore as much from screaming as it was from his dick. Her muscles were lax and her pussy sore. Her jaw ached from being stretched wide around his cock, her ass throbbing from his fingers. Still, she wanted more. She wanted to taste him again, feel him filling her. She could never get enough.

  Cecile fell back on the couch, breath coming in pants. Her hand was still in her pants, her bra barely hanging on her shoulders. She opened her eyes. While not as satisfying as having actual sex, at least she’d gotten rid of most of the tension that she’d had all day. After all, that had been the whole point of her going to the bar: stress relief. She’d moved in just three days ago and would be starting her new job in the morning. She’d needed to get her mind off of her nerves. Fantasies of Anthony had definitely managed that. Once her heart rate had returned to normal, she stood. Maybe a shower before eating was a good idea. Shower, then food, then sleep. That sounded good.

  She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, her dreams full of dark eyes and calloused hands. She could almost feel his touch, smell the subtle cologne he’d been wearing, something spicy and rich that had been just enough to make her want to move closer. She woke when her alarm went off, her panties wet and her body thrumming. It had taken all of her self-control not to try to get herself off in the shower. She just kept reminding herself that she couldn’t be late on her first day.

  She towel dried her long hair and pinned it up, hoping that it made her look more mature. She’d kept everything simple. Minimal make-up that consisted of just foundation and lip gloss. Black dress slacks, a plain white blouse and a specially cut black jacket. The shoes were ugly, but sensible. While the outfit wasn’t exactly unflattering, it was designed more for practicality than looks. The shoes were made for walking and the jacket to hang correctly over her holster. Built the way she was, it was impossible to wear a shoulder holster and getting things to lie right over her hip holster had taken some doing. Things were generally tough enough for an out of state newbie, especially a woman, she didn’t need the added burden of having to worry about looking like she was trying too hard or too little.

  When she walked into the station, she knew she’d made the right choice. The captain handed over her new badge and gun with an approving look and directed her to her senior officer. She took a deep breath as she walked towards the tall, thin lieutenant. Her stomach was in knots but she kept her hands steady, her head high. This was the first step towards the career she’d always wanted. She wasn’t going to blow it.

  “Cecile MacDouglas?” The lieutenant’s eyes were a sharp, piercing blue that Cecile instinctively knew had cracked more than one criminal. “I’m Lieutenant Warnos Day. Welcome to Vice.”

  “Thank you, Sir,” she said. “Happy to be here.”

  Lieutenant Day gave her a long, hard look. “Let’s hope you feel that way in a couple of weeks.”

  As the lieutenant turned away, Cecile muttered, “Well, that was encouraging.”

  Chapter 3

  While her first day in the Vice Department in New York had gone well, Cecile hadn’t been able to stop herself from constantly looking at the clock. Fortunately, the day had mostly been about familiarizing herself with the department and completing paperwork, so she didn’t really feel guilty about not focusing all of her energy on her job. She’d tried, she really had, but the anticipation about her upcoming date kept creeping in. She’d left immediately after her shift was done, hoping she hadn’t seemed to be in as much of a hurry as she had been. She didn’t want a
nyone thinking that she wasn’t going to work hard.

  All of her concerns about her co-workers and what they thought faded away as she allowed herself to focus on getting ready for her date. She hadn’t unpacked all of her clothes yet, which turned out to be a good thing. Since she didn’t have much to choose from, picking an outfit wasn’t as difficult as it could have been. For a first date that she may or may not let get very physical, she wanted something comfortable and casual, but still nice enough for a date. Out of what she had available, she quickly settled on a pair of charcoal gray pants and a flattering dove gray off-the-shoulder sweater, finishing it off with a pair of nice boots.

  As soon as she walked into the bar, she knew she’d chosen well. She and Anthony’s outfits complemented each other. His jeans were a light gray, his fitted sweater a shade of ivory that showed off his tan skin. Cecile didn’t think she’d ever seen someone look so delectable.

  “Wow,” he said as she walked over.

  “Right back at you.” Cecile gave him her most charming smile. Her stomach clenched when he returned it. Damn, he was hot.

  “So, I figured I’d take you to the best restaurant in town and then I could show you around a bit,” Anthony said. “The food here’s not bad, but there’s this little place just a few blocks over that has an amazing chef.”

  “That sounds great.”

  As the pair began to walk down the sidewalk, Cecile asked, “Did you grow up in the city?”

  Anthony nodded. “Not too far from here, actually.” He motioned away from the city lights.

  “And your family?”

  A strange expression crossed his face. It was there for only a brief moment before it vanished, but Cecile had the feeling that there was definitely a story there. This wasn’t the time for praying further though.

  “My mom and three of my four brothers still live in the city. My older brother lives out in California.” Anthony reached for her hand and Cecile let him take it. His fingers weren’t as calloused as she’d imagined. “What about you?”

  Cecile let the warmth from his hand flow up through hers. “My mom and step-dad live in Florida with my half-sister. My dad and his girlfriend are still in Ohio.”

  “So you grew up as an only child?”

  She nodded, amused by the envious tone in his voice.

  “Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “I love my brothers, but sometimes I think it would’ve been nice to be an only child.”

  “I used to think the same thing about having siblings.” Cecile stepped past Anthony as he opened the door for her. The restaurant had been plain on the outside and the inside kept up the simple décor. The lighting was low, each booth and table illuminated by a lamp hanging over it. From what she could see, about half of the tables were occupied. Anthony must’ve seen the skeptical expression on her face, because he grinned and hurried to assure her.

  “I promise, if this isn’t the best food you’ve ever eaten, we’ll pretend that you won the bet.”

  A spark went through Cecile as memories of her previous night’s fantasy session flashed through her mind. She’d never hoped for bad food before.

  Less than thirty minutes later, she was forced to admit defeat. She’d been too keyed up to order more than soup and chicken, but they were both absolutely delicious. Anthony had watched her with obvious delight as she’d taken her first bites and she’d conceded that he’d been right. The way his face had lit up, she’d wondered what else she could tell him that would get the same response.

  The conversation flowed easily between them, moving from sports to movies to childhood memories. The one thing, she realized, that they didn’t discuss was work. She hadn’t thought anything of it until the evening neared its end. She hadn’t brought up her own work intentionally, and now she wondered if Anthony had done the same thing. Aside from wanting to avoid the all-to-common reaction from men who found out she was a cop, she hadn’t wanted to talk about what she did in case she received an undercover assignment. Not that she thought Anthony had anything to hide. She just didn’t want to tell him what she did and risk it getting back to someone who would be in a position to blow her cover. Whatever the reason he hadn’t brought up his own work, she appreciated the opportunity to avoid an awkward situation.

  “Dessert?” Anthony asked as he took another sip of wine.

  Cecile shook her head. No matter what they’d been talking about, a part of her had been preoccupied with how well Anthony was wearing his sweater and jeans. She didn’t know how much was residual from her prior night’s activities, but she wasn’t sure she cared. She hadn’t had sex in almost six months. She really wanted the night to end in someone’s bed and she didn’t really care whose. And it didn’t even have to be in a bed.

  As they walked along the river a short while later, she began to suspect that Anthony felt the same way. The electricity between them was almost palpable and the heat in his eyes every time he looked at her made things low inside her tighten in a delicious way. Anthony pulled her to him, releasing her hand so that he could wrap his arm around her waist. She leaned into him, inhaling that same enticing scent that had been in her dreams. She had a choice to make here, she knew. She could keep following his lead and see where the night took them, or she could make a move and let him know in no uncertain terms what she wanted.

  It really wasn’t a difficult decision.

  When they paused for a moment, Cecile seized the opportunity and turned so that she was facing Anthony. He gave her a puzzled look that quickly turned to surprise as she slid her hand up behind his neck. As she raised herself onto her toes, she applied just enough pressure to bend Anthony’s head so that she could capture his mouth.

  He reacted immediately, his arms circling her waist and crushing her against him. His lips parted and her questing tongue met his. She tilted her head deepening the kiss as she devoured his mouth. The heat built between them, burning away the exterior cold and filling them with an interior fire that threatened to burn them alive. Despite the layers of clothes, she could feel him hardening against her and knew that his desire matched her own.

  Finally, her need for oxygen became too urgent and she broke the kiss. She stayed pressed against him, however, and ran her fingers through the short hair at the base of his neck.

  “Cecile… wow.” Anthony was breathless.

  “I want you.” She spoke the words without the slightest hint of embarrassment. She’d never shied away from what she wanted and she wasn’t about to now.

  “Cecile?” Anthony made her name a question.

  She slid one hand between them and cupped the bulge in his jeans. Anthony made a surprised sound as she spoke. “Look, I don’t want some one night stand. I want a second date and a third–”

  “Me, too,” Anthony interrupted.

  Cecile continued. “But tonight, I want you to fuck me.”

  Anthony’s jaw dropped open.

  “I’ve been thinking about you since we met yesterday and I’m not a very patient person.” Cecile flexed her fingers and Anthony hissed. “So, what do you say?”

  Anthony studied her for a moment, most likely to determine if she was serious. Cecile kept her gaze steady. She didn’t want to give him any cause to think that she was kidding in any way.

  Finally, he spoke, his words coming out slowly, as if he still wasn’t quite sure that this was really happening. “I say, your place or mine?”

  “Yours,” Cecile answered with a smile. “I’m still unpacking at mine.”

  Chapter 4

  He lived a bit further away than she’d expected, but the taxi ride hadn’t been all bad. She’d spent the time running her fingers up and down his thigh until he’d practically growled in her ear that he was going to fuck her so hard she wouldn’t be able to walk for a week.

  Her reply? “Promises, promises.”

  When she saw his place, she had a moment of curiosity about what he did to be able to afford an apartment like this, and then his lips were on hers and she d
idn’t care about anything else. As he devoured her mouth, his hands slid up under the back of her shirt, his palms hot against her back. She dropped her hands to his ass, pulling him against her even as her fingers kneaded the firm flesh. Anthony’s mouth moved from hers, ghosting over her jawline and moved down the side of her neck. He tugged at her shirt, pulling it off her shoulder and exposing the delicate curve of her collarbone. He sucked at the skin there, drawing the blood to the surface as one hand moved down to her ass.

  Anthony stepped back before she was ready to let him go and Cecile made a frustrated sound. He chuckled, and she got even more wet. At this rate, both her panties and pants would be soaked before she got naked.

  “Come here,” he said. He took her hand and led her through the living room to the large French doors that led onto the balcony. He unlocked the doors and led her out onto the balcony.

  The air was brisk and she shivered, but she couldn’t deny the beauty of the view. The city was breathtaking from here. She walked over to the railing, smiling as Anthony wrapped his arms around her. It was so similar to part of her fantasy that she flushed. His hands slid up under her sweater, caressing the soft silk of her bra before teasing the ample flesh at the top of the cups. He put his lips against her ear.

  “I don’t want a one night stand either. This is a promise for the future,” he whispered. “One day, I’m going to fuck you out here. Get down on my knees and lick you until you cum, then I’ll take you from behind. You’ll have to bite your lips to keep from screaming, but it’ll turn you on knowing that you could be seen at any time.”

  It took her a moment to be able to respond. “I’ll remember that.” Cecile’s voice was breathless.

  “Good.” Anthony removed his hands from under her shirt. “Now let’s head back inside where it’s warm. I can’t wait to see what you’ve got on underneath those clothes.”