by Isabel North
“At pictures of random dudes’ cocks? I’m stunned.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Shouldn’t I have felt a little, you know? Frisson?”
“There is no ‘should’, baby.”
“Derek.” She glared at him. “What if it grosses me out?”
He shrugged. “Then it grosses you out.”
That simple? “I have to tell you right now, if you look at any part of me and then tell me I gross you out, I will have a big problem with that.”
“You think I don’t get what this is about?” He ran a finger along her jawline. “You’re not worried about not liking my piercing. You’re worried about hurting my feelings.”
“Is that so strange? Men can get weird about women looking at their dicks and saying, gross.”
“We’re talking about my piercing. Not my dick. That’s where the piercing happens to be. You hate it that much, I’ll take it out.”
Instead of reassuring her, this made Jenny mad. “And what about this one?” She flicked his nipple. “Or this one?” His eyebrow. “What if I make you take these out, and then tell you I want you to laser off your tattoos? Next thing you know, I’m cutting your hair and putting you in khakis and pastel Ralph Lauren polo shirts and loafers, Derek. What happens then?”
“You are pretty full of yourself, aren’t you?”
She jerked away. “What does that mean?”
“Just because I offered to take out my dick piercing if you can’t stand it—although I think you might like to give it a chance—doesn’t mean you can push me around.” He cupped her throat with a warm palm.
“Please,” Jenny scoffed. “You are so easygoing, I can push you around like a shopping cart.”
“You think you’re the boss, Jen?” Derek’s eyes were alight with amusement. “Want to take stock of where you are right now?”
Jenny froze. Then she heaved against him and shoved at his shoulders.
“Ooh. A tussle.” Derek captured her hands and subdued her with infuriating, arousing ease. Pressing one of her hands into the cushion by her head, he dragged the other down his chest and over his ridged abs, all the way down to his jeans. “Now.” He rocked into her. “You doing the honors, or am I?”
Jenny’s mouth went dry and her heart slammed in her chest. She blinked up at him.
“Me? Okay, then.” Derek leaned back and used his free hand to undo his belt, eyes steady on hers.
The sound of the metal clinking was loud in the otherwise silent room. Derek dragged the belt loose, and tossed it over the end of the couch where he’d earlier tossed his T-shirt. Jenny didn’t move, other than to drop her gaze to watch his long fingers work on the fly of his jeans.
For God’s sake. She could have an orgasm watching the businesslike way he did that, flicking open the button and drawing the zipper down. Slow enough she heard the tick-tick-tick of the metal teeth separating. He reached in, and took himself out.
“Holy crap,” Jenny breathed. “You’re a monster.”
“That’s a nice kick to my ego’s nuts.”
“No, no,” she said, taking him in her hand. She shivered at his hot, hard weight. “You’re beautiful, but… Damn, how do you stay conscious when you get a boner? Is the piercing necessary? Did you have to get it to preserve structural integrity? Is it like a support beam? You have to have it, or you sprain something? Maybe get a hernia?”
“Stop trying to squeeze your legs shut,” Derek said. “You’re going to crack me like a walnut. I’m not that big.”
“Yeah, Derek. Yes you are.”
“I’ve seen bigger.”
“Were you at the zoo?”
“Jen.”
“Yeah?”
His hand covered hers, and squeezed. “You’re not throwing up or fainting or saying ew, gross. Can I take this as a good sign?”
“Yes.”
“If I let you go, you’re not going to run screaming?”
“Nope.”
“All right.” Derek eased back, she lost her grip on him, and he relaxed flat against the cushions. His cheekbones were flushed, his eyes glittering. He tucked his arms behind his head and took a deep breath. “Have at it.”
Jenny got to her knees and straddled his thighs. Wow.
When she didn’t do anything other than stare, Derek gave a strained laugh. “Touch me.”
She did, running her palm from root to tip. He jerked under her, expression tightening. Jenny concentrated her attention at the head, where he’d been pierced with another barbell. She circled it with an exploratory fingertip. “Does it…” She cleared her throat and tried again. “Does it feel good?”
“Yeah,” Derek said, voice rough. He moved his hips restlessly.
Jenny reached out and laid a hand on his cheek. He turned his face into it, pressing a kiss to her palm. “And when you’re having sex?”
He nodded, scraping his stubbled jaw against her skin. “Feels better for you.”
Jenny tilted her head, attention back on the piercing. She rubbed a thumb over it. Like the one in his nipple, it was hot, warmed by his body heat.
“Guess that would really hit the spot,” she mused.
“Yeah,” he said again, then suddenly curled up to sitting. He hauled her tight against him, threaded both hands into her hair, and kissed her. His eyes were shut, and the glimpse of his face she had before he took her mouth with his own made her moan into the kiss.
Her hand was trapped between them. Might as well do something useful with it while it’s there. She gave him a single, firm stroke.
Derek went wild.
After that, everything was a blur of heat and panting, thrusting and grabbing. Jenny struggled against Derek, trying to tug his jeans down to give her more room.
Somehow they ended up on the floor, Derek on top.
Great. Much easier to get at him like this.
She hooked his waistband and wrenched down. As soon as she’d gotten his jeans over his ass, she rolled over him and did her best with the access she’d gained.
He let that continue for all of two seconds, then he went for the hem of her shirt. Her arms clamped down, trapping the fabric. Before the idea of Derek seeing her love handles could toss her out of the moment, he growled and rolled them again, putting her flat to the floor.
He unsnapped her jeans and drove a hand in, knowing fingers going straight to the target. He sucked in a breath when he felt her. “Fuck, Jen,” he said. “You’re so—”
She arched against him, nearly bucking him off when he stroked into her, and he laughed.
“I need more—” he started to say, then gave up talking in favor of kissing her again, devouring her mouth. He did this drawing back and up, teasing her into following him until it was his turn to be straddling her.
“These are coming off,” he said, tugging her jeans. “I need more. I want to see. I need all of you, Jen. God, please, don’t tell me no.”
Keeping her eyes on his fierce, hungry face, as if looking away from him would puncture the bravado that had gotten her this far, Jenny didn’t protest as he unzipped her jeans. His hot gaze flicked up to hers…and he stopped.
“Honey,” he said, coming back down over her. “Shit, I didn’t mean that. Tell me no. You can always, always tell me no.” His fingers dug into the back of her neck as he held her for a soft, gentling kiss. He leaned his forehead against hers, holding himself still with obvious effort. His chest rose and fell with quick breaths.
“It’s not no,” she said, hating how uncertain she sounded.
“It’s not yes, either, is it?” he whispered.
It was I want to but I don’t know if I can.
Fact of it was, Jenny’s sex life up to this point had been mostly satisfying. Mostly for Dean.
He’d been a considerate lover, but on those occasions when she wasn’t as into it as he was, he’d had a tendency to get impatient with her. Of course, that made it even harder to get on board, and then all hope of having an orgasm was out the window.
She knew Der
ek wouldn’t be like that. She knew it in an odd, searing way that rattled her to her core. He’d be patient, and kind, and gentle.
He was being gentle right now, his breaths evening out.
The problem was, she didn’t want Derek gentle. She wanted him like he was a minute ago: out of control, skin sheened with perspiration, all slick muscles and hot friction against her.
And he did feel so, so good against her. Everywhere. His bare skin, his heavy weight that should feel oppressive but didn’t, his erotic movements, his unrelenting heat.
She didn’t want it all to fade away and get toned down and civilized so he could coax her into pleasure first. It might all fade away so much that he decided it wasn’t worth the bother to build back up.
They might end up having a cup of chamomile tea in the kitchen, and chatting about window boxes again.
“Not me today,” she said. “Just you.”
“We don’t have to do anything today.”
She clutched him. “I don’t want to stop.”
Derek’s penetrating gaze tracked over her face as if he was working something out. “Okay.”
“You’re not…mad?” Ugh. Why did she ask that? He wasn’t going to get mad, this was Derek. “Know what, forget I said that. But if you were thinking about getting mad, buddy, then—”
Derek put a hand over her mouth. “I said I need all of you, Jen. I need this.” He cupped her between the legs. “And this.” He kissed her forehead. “But most of all—” he ducked his head to lay his lips over her heart, where he whispered, “—I need this.”
“My God. You’re romantic.”
He winked. “Also not about to turn down the beautiful woman who wants to give me an orgasm.” He turned them until he was once again on his back, and flung out his arms wide, offering himself up to her. “Have your wicked way with me. Here, I’ll help.” He put her hand on his erection and stroked their fists up and down a few times, showing her how he liked it.
When his hand fell away, Jenny continued on her own. As an experiment, she tugged on his nipple piercing.
Derek’s teeth dug into his bottom lip and his body rippled beneath hers. “You’re determined to drive me crazy,” he said, eyes closing.
Jenny had never seen anything so sexy in her entire life as Derek Tate, on her living room floor, about to lose it. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his softly.
He wrapped her hair around his wrist and held her as he sucked and bit at her mouth until she opened. He panted against her, hips jerking, until his desperate breaths turned short and harsh. With a husky groan that raised the hairs on her arms, he shuddered his release.
Jenny’s heart thrashed in her chest as she watched the tension drain from Derek’s powerful muscles and he lay with complete abandoned satisfaction before her. She blinked a few times. She was pretty sure she’d had her own orgasm, or something damn close.
From watching him.
“So,” Derek said when he’d recovered and had finally stopped kissing her, “I’m thinking it’s safe to say that the cock piercing doesn’t gross you out.”
“Safe to say,” Jenny agreed.
Once they’d gotten off the floor and set to rights, Jenny walked Derek to the front door. There, he drew her into his arms as if he wasn’t ready to leave, even though he’d told her seconds ago that he had things to do.
He tipped her chin up, his eyes searching hers. His dimples made an appearance. “Beautiful,” he murmured.
Sure. She gave him an awkward smile in return.
He shook his head at her. “I’m gonna push you, Jen,” he said, expression growing serious.
After what they’d done, she’d expected him to be even more than his usual laid-back with satisfaction. Instead he seemed sharper, more alert, more focused.
“I want you. I want this. Us. And I’m going to push until I get it. I think you know how I feel about you pushing back. Do it. Fight me. I enjoy a challenge. But talk to me. And most importantly, Jen, next time I see you? I want you to remember one very important thing.”
“Yeah?” she said.
“Don’t forget the extra jalapenos.”
Jenny opened the front door and pointed. “Out.” Some reckless impulse made her smack his ass as he went.
Derek turned on his heel, snatched her through the open doorway and thrust her back against the wall of the house. He licked her mouth open and kissed her, harsh and dominating. Their teeth clicked together.
“Try that again,” he said in a low voice, “and I will spank you.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
“You do that.”
After a minute, Jenny laughed. “Weren’t you leaving?”
“Yeah.” He bent his head and feathered his lips up the side of her neck. “I’m rethinking it. What about you?” He nibbled at her skin.
“I would be rethinking it,” she said, “except for the fact I’ve got to pick Kate up in an hour.”
Derek flashed her a dirty grin that made her knees weak. “I can get a lot done in an hour.”
“I have no doubt.” She gave him a closed-mouthed kiss and pushed him back, trying to look severe. Failing. “Leave.”
With a casual salute, Derek went to where he’d parked his bike alongside her car.
Jenny watched as he slung a long leg over the bike, putting on his helmet with the unconscious grace of long practice. He backed out of the driveway and glanced over at her, standing on her porch.
Jenny gave him two thumbs up.
Even over the rumble of the engine, she heard his deep laugh as he rode away.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The week without her car hadn’t exactly been filled with deprivation and suffering, but Jenny couldn’t deny that having her wheels back made life easier.
Alternatively, the reason for her new and improved mood was not, in fact, the car, but the man responsible for fixing it.
Derek.
What had she been thinking, rolling around with him on her living room floor?
Right. She’d been thinking, yes. Oh God, there. Kiss me again. I want you. At last.
That sort of thing.
Then she’d stopped thinking and started feeling, and everything was simple.
Until she’d started thinking again.
Back to complicated.
She should have pretended she was still having a secret affair with Gabe. It had worked like a charm last time, and she’d gotten on just fine without Derek and his kisses.
Instead, she’d confirmed that she was a free woman, Derek had made his move within minutes, and now Jenny knew in graphic detail what she’d been missing since she’d told him that stupid lie.
She also knew what she’d be missing in the future. Because as amazing a kisser as Derek was—she got a shiver every time she brought up the memory of his firm hands on her, his wicked tongue in her mouth and the way he put his whole body into it—Jenny knew that the smart thing to do was to keep him at arm’s length.
She’d buy pizza to pay him for fixing her car, and they’d go back to being friends.
Kate finished up her first week of elementary school and, initial wobble aside, she seemed to be taking to it well. But that was her girl. Adaptable. Ready, willing, able and flat-out determined to enjoy herself.
Jenny herself had been cautious as a child, wary of strangers and new situations. Seeing Kate’s open-hearted approach to life and the confidence that Jenny had worked hard to nurture through and after the divorce made Jenny feel that, maybe, she was doing an okay job of this single-parenting gig.
On Saturday morning they went over to Alex and Elle’s.
The instant Elle opened the front door, Kate jumped into her arms, chattering with loud enthusiasm even though it had been mere days since she’d last seen her beloved aunt.
Leaving them to it, Jenny carried the box of muffins from Megan’s through to the kitchen, and set it on the counter. She filled the kettle at the faucet, put it on to boil, and yelped when somet
hing wet squelched at the back of her knee.
She turned to find Gargoyle behind her, one of his toy bears clasped in his large, damp jaws.
He’d pressed the toy to her bare leg, and now he had her attention, he chomped it a few times, making it squeak. Dropping it at her feet, he gave her a meaningful look.
Jenny slid the toe of her boot under the bear and, with a practiced flip, sent it flying across the kitchen floor. She knew better than to pick it up. Gargoyle was the sweetest, softest dog in the whole world and she loved him probably as much as Kate did, but damn could he drool.
Gargoyle snatched up his bear and pranced over to her, tail high and ears pricked.
“Again?” Jenny asked him.
Gargoyle gave her a look that said, yes, lady. Again.
“Here we go.” Jenny launched it toward the back door at the same time as the door opened and Alex walked in.
Alex calmly bent at the waist and steadied Gargoyle as the large dog crashed into his legs. Alex wrestled the bear off Gargoyle and tossed it out into the backyard. Just as calmly, he fielded Kate as she came flying through the kitchen and cannoned into him, her eyes on the vanishing dog.
Alex rested a large hand on the top of Kate’s head, gazing down at her. “Kindergarten still okay?” he asked.
“Yep.” Kate nodded.
“Good.”
Kate held out her little fist for a bump. When Alex stared at it, then at her face, she settled for punching him in the arm, and rushed after Gargoyle.
“You should think about getting her a dog,” Alex said to Jenny, rubbing his arm.
“People keep telling me that. I do think about it. Then I think about picking up poop and walking the dog and taking the dog to the vet, and I decide to bring her over to play with your dog instead. All of the benefits, none of the hassle. Muffin?” She held out the box.
Face brightening, Alex came over to investigate.
Jenny contemplated him as he washed his hands and deliberated over the muffins.
Alex Zacharov was hot. Pure, smoking hot. Tall and dark. Lots of muscles from all that welding and metal sculpting he did. Expression set to permanent scowl, except for when he looked at Elle.
When he looked at Elle, it was either so soft and smitten you had to look away. Or it was so carnal and sensual you really had to look away because, ew. That’s your sister he’s looking at.