Beg For It

by Angie Daniels

  After the song, she went back to the table and mingled with the others. Stefano made his rounds, talking, laughing, and catching up. Tonight was a meet and greet, but he couldn’t engage in a conversation for any length of time, because all he wanted to do was stare across the room at Jayla. Marquis and Kat were back at the table, and the Navy Seal said something funny, because Jayla tossed her head back with laughter that was so rich and infectious, Stefano felt an overwhelming tightening at his core.

  And to think, he had planned on spending the entire weekend sulking over a failed mission. He brushed the thought aside. The last thing he planned to do tonight was think about the loss of a dedicated airman and friend, even though that tragic day had kept running through his mind like a song on repeat for the last two weeks. Nope. This weekend was an opportunity to separate his professional and personal lives.

  Speaking of personal….

  Stefano spotted Jayla looking at him like he was the last slice of red velvet cake. Those amazing long legs turned him every which way but loose, and suddenly he couldn’t think of anything else but allowing her to distract him and rekindling that spark he had once felt. The feeling was so good, he asked Jayla for one last dance before the band packed up for the evening.

  Her luscious body was pressed up against him and made his blood pump hard and heavy. When her arms tightened and she began rocking her hips and following along, it was as if they had been dancing together for years.

  “You enjoying yourself?”

  “Oh yes.” Jayla sighed, a soft breathy sound that sent a jolt of heat straight to his cock.

  The chemistry flowing between them was more powerful than anything he’d ever felt before. Not to mention he’d been so busy caught up in his last deployment, and then the accident, that he hadn’t been with a woman in months. That was all the more reason why he needed Jayla in his bed tonight to soothe his mind and body. His imagination raced ahead with vivid anticipation.

  Dragging her closer, he whispered, “Come with me.”

  “Come with you where?” Her voice ruffled his nose.

  “To my hotel…your hotel. Hell I don’t care as long as I am with you.”

  She stared up at him. His eyes gleamed. He wanted what he saw and so did she. Jayla nodded and replied, “Okay.”

  5

  It was insane!

  Jayla wanted Stefano like she had never wanted a man and yet his proposition was scary. Just the thought of going back to his hotel room, stripping him of his clothes, and seeing his body naked—that she was certain was beautiful in every shape and form—was overwhelming to say the least. Stefano… grinding against her, lying on top of her or underneath as she straddled him. She didn’t care as long as she was with him.

  “What do you say?” Stefano asked, his lips brushing against her ear. Everything about him was too intimate, too male and intimidating. Her knees where knocking. Thank goodness the laughter in the room was too loud for him to realize how nervous she was.

  “It depends,” she said smiling, then dropped her head to his shoulder.

  “On what?”

  “On how badly you want it?” she cooed and was surprised at the husky sound of her voice.

  Stefano slid his hand up her back and then over to caress her cheeks before he pulled away and stared deep into her eyes. “I don’t think I have ever wanted anything so bad.”

  His gaze was mesmerizing. Hypnotic almost. She wanted him. She had known before they had arrived at his table she wanted him in her bed. She just didn’t have any idea how badly until he held her in his arms, and the heat from his body penetrated her flesh. Jayla brought her hands up and smoothed them across his military cut—low on the top, faded on the side and the texture was soft. Her body hummed as he gripped her ass practically lifting her off the floor.

  Sanity was trying to rear its ugly head, but she pushed it out the way. “Your place or mine?” she whispered.

  “I’m staying at the Hilton Garden Inn.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “So am I.”

  “Sounds like we were meant to be together tonight.” There was a trace of humor in his accented voice, and the sound did disturbing things to her.

  Stefano slanted his mouth over hers, and instantly Jayla parted her lips in invitation. Immediately he swept his tongue inside. Passion was building between her thighs as she dug her fingers into his shoulders. To hell with taking things slow. Who needed a clear understanding of what was going to happen when the communication between their bodies was coming through loud and clear?

  * * *

  Stefano had spent a great deal of his military career in combat zones. Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. He’d conditioned and toned his body to be a strong, powerful machine, ready to face down and beat any danger. But he’d never felt as out of control and in danger as he did right now.

  He had underestimated her. Jayla had changed into a woman who clearly knew what she wanted and wasn’t going to allow uncertainty to get in her way.

  While pressing her soft breasts against his chest, she dragged her mouth from his and her tongue trailed along his jaw and up to his ear where she blew a soft ruffle of air into his ear. The rate they were going, if they didn’t leave now, they weren’t going to make it back to the hotel before he would be ripping away her panties and plunging inside her pleasurable heat.

  “Let’s go.”

  “Okay.” She nodded and started walking away. “Let me go and tell Kat I’m leaving.”

  “Come back here, querida.” Stefano dragged her to him and took her mouth again in another deep kiss before he released her. Damn, he had it bad!

  While Jayla went in hunt of her cousin, he went over and said goodnight to his crew. The schedule for Friday was a cookout at Buckroe Beach that would go into the evening. He had every intention of spending the day with Jayla.

  * * *

  Oh my God. She had gone too far to stop now.

  Do you really want to stop?

  Goodness, no. With one touch from the sexy Latino, everything in her mind shut down. All the negative thoughts, the pain of rejection, it all seeped away. It was as though the disappointment of her past relationships had simply vanished. Instead, Jayla had a single thought, one primary focus, and not about a relationship. Just sex, giving and a whole lot of receiving.

  Her body was on fire. Her nipples ached, and there was a steady throb between her thighs. She was seconds away from doing something she would have never thought of doing—begging for it. Jayla shook her head. Things were spiraling out of control. She should be making Stefano beg to spend the night with her, not the other way around. The weekend was supposed to be all about her being in control, taking what she needed, getting what she wanted, and then walking away. Instead, she was thinking about hours—correction days—of blissful pleasure that she was certain Stefano Ortiz was guaranteed to provide.

  Kat studied her and grinned. “I saw the two of you out on that dance floor. I have to admit you look good together.”

  “Together?” Jayla turned to see if anyone was listening before she proceeded. “It’s a fling. That’s it.”

  Kat didn’t look convinced. “It doesn’t have to be. You’ve always been crazy about him…so this is your chance.”

  No way. She no longer believed in dreams coming true. Back then she had been young, and extremely naïve. Stefano had been popular, and part of her felt the only reason why he even spoke to her was because she had been his only chance at staying on the track team. Not to say Stefano hadn’t been different than the others. He was nice and when they were together they spent hours talking about dreams and the crazy things they wanted to someday do with their lives. It was those days she’d seen another side, a softer side to Mr. Popular. But then there was that day she had embarrassed herself by thinking he might have actually been interested in her. That day she had never forgotten. Now she wanted to show him what he’d missed.

  “It’s just a weekend Kat. I got this! You just worry about Marquis.
”

  Her cousin couldn’t resist a smirk. “I’m still working on that one, but it looks promising.”

  No doubt. Her cousin always got what she wanted. Jayla was certain she’d have him eating out the palm of her hand by Sunday.

  Kat gave her a final look of despair. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

  No, she didn’t, but it wasn’t going to stop her from doing what she had set out to do—separate her heart from her body—and know what it’s like to have mind-blowing sex with a gorgeous man, with no commitment and no regrets.

  Jayla gave a slight shrug. “Everything is going to be fine.”

  Kat promised to call her in the morning, then she went to find Marquis, who was going back to her house to continue their conversation.

  Jayla smiled. Tonight was all about body language. A conversation she was anxious to have. She clutched her purse under her arm, then looked around until she spotted Stefano standing near the exit. Her body throbbed with anticipation. Pulling her shoulders back, she sauntered toward the door trying to focus on his features. His handsome beauty was just the same as it had been when she’d seen him sprinting down the track with record-breaking speed. He had excited her then the way his presence was doing now. She couldn’t wait to be in his arms. As she drew closer, she prayed for the strength to walk away when it was all said and done.

  6

  “My car’s over there.”

  Stefano was holding Jayla’s hand as they made their way across the school parking lot over to his 750Li BMW.

  “Nice ride,” she murmured appreciatively.

  “Thanks, I got it while I was stationed in Germany.”

  He clicked the automatic locks, and instantly, Jayla reached for the handle. “Don’t you dare,” Stefano warned as he swung the door open before she had a chance to object.

  There was a stunned look on her face. “Thank you,” she said softly.

  He chuckled. “You seem surprised.”

  As she climbed in, Jayla replied, “I am.”

  “Querida, I don’t know what kind of men you’ve been dating, but I’m a gentleman.” Stefano laughed some more, then shook his head as he shut the door, and hurried around to the driver’s side. By the time he slid onto the soft leather seat, Jayla had her seatbelt secure.

  He wasted no time putting the key in the ignition and then waited for the soft roar of the engine before he put the car into Drive and wheeled out of the parking lot. A lot of their classmates were still standing around, talking, but he was determined to get Jayla to his room before she changed her mind about spending the night in his bed.

  He shifted on the seat, then reached over and turned on Sirius Radio. “Anything in particular you want to hear?”

  With a shrug, she replied, “Some jazz would be good.”

  He tuned into one of his favorite stations and then watched the way she sank deeply onto the seat. “Comfortable?”

  Jayla smiled. “Very. I really like this car. Maybe I need to get myself one.”

  Stefano took his eyes briefly from the road long enough to say, “If you ever decide, I know someone who would give you a good deal.”

  “Hmmm, I’ll keep that in mind. But I plan on buying a house before I can afford a luxury car like this.”

  He nodded. “Smart idea. I hope to do the same before I retire.”

  “Really? Where do you plan to settle down at?”

  He scowled because he still had no freaking idea. “I’m not sure yet.”

  “What kind of work do you do in the military?” She had shifted on the seat and appeared interested.

  “I’m security force.”

  There was a gasp. “A cop? Really? Hmmm, I never would have guessed that. How do you like it?”

  He drew a long breath and tried not to think about the friend he had lost. “It has its ups and downs. I’ve deployed a lot these last few years, but there are also the non-combat tours to Japan and Hawaii that kind of offset things.”

  “I bet,” Jayla replied and took a moment as if she was collecting her thoughts to say, “How do you feel about relocating every couple of years?”

  Stefano made a left at the light as he spoke. “It’s easier when you don’t have a family, but at the same time it would make life more enjoyable when you have the experience to share with someone else.”

  Jayla swung around on the seat and gave him a lazy smile that slugged him sharply at the gut. “You haven’t told me why you’re single?”

  “Why I’m single? Well…,” he began and took a breath. “I haven’t been able to find a woman willing to follow me around the world and become second to my career.”

  “I can understand how that would be hard. The readjusting to new areas, trying to find a job, that’s asking a lot. At the same time, if a woman loves you enough she would be willing to do just about anything.”

  “You think so?”

  She smiled lazily. “I know so.”

  “And what about you? You’re beautiful Jayla. There’s no reason why you should be single.”

  Jayla scrunched up her nose as if she didn’t like that word too much. “I think most men are intimidated by smarts and beauty.” She shrugged. “I’ve had enough heartache over the years that I finally decided a committed relationship isn’t for me.”

  “Not all men are the same,” he debated and remembered they’d had a similar conversation earlier.

  She made another face. “The ones I meet are. It’s cool though. I was an outcast most of my life, so I’m used to being by myself.” With that, she turned to gaze out the window as he maneuvered the car up Mercury Boulevard toward the Hilton. There was something lonely about her. Obviously she wouldn’t admit it, but for a moment there he heard the emptiness in her tone, and then there was the void he saw in her eyes needing to be filled by the joy only a man could bring. As he headed in the direction of the Coliseum, listening to another song, he wondered if he was interested in the job.

  “Well, tonight I’m going to show you how I treat a woman,” he said, trying deliberately to lighten the tone.

  She twisted her head long enough to meet his eyes, then turned away as she said, “Hmmm, we’ll see.”

  They arrived at the hotel and Stefano was lucky to find a vacant parking space near the front entrance. He shut off the car and immediately said, “Hold tight.” Jayla reached for the door handle and then roared with laughter. Well, at least she still has a sense of humor.

  Stefano climbed out the car and hurried around to open the door for Jayla. Taking his hand, she allowed him to bring her to her feet. Then she was standing in front of him, beautiful and eyes wide. He shut the door, then guided her inside with a hand at the small of her back to the hotel lobby, and was steering her toward his room when she stopped.

  “I’m going back to my room to freshen up and I’ll be back shortly,” Jayla informed him with a faint smile.

  “You don’t have to freshen up for me.”

  She turned up her nose. “Nah, that’s not what I want you to remember about me.”

  He didn’t want to let her go. He forced a laugh and she joined in, then gave a two-finger wave as she started walking away. “If you’d like, I can come to your room.”

  She shook her head. “Nope, I rather come to yours.”

  She was halfway down the corridor when it registered she didn’t even know which room he was in. “I’m in 112!” he called after her. She nodded and continued to saunter her way to the corner, then made a left and was out of sight.

  Stefano scowled and headed in the opposite direction. He wasn’t sure the last time he’d wanted something so bad.

  * * *

  Jayla scurried to her room, turned on the shower, then quickly shed her clothes. She couldn’t get under the spray of water fast enough. While she lathered her body, Jayla forced herself to stop and breathe. Things were happening so fast. Sure, it was everything she had wanted and there was nothing else she wanted more, but at the same time she was scared out of h
er mind. Stefano was so fine it was going to take some serious willpower to keep her head on straight, especially since she had never done a one-night stand before. She was a monogamous woman who was committed to the man she considered hers until the relationship was over. That’s why it had hurt so much when Nicholas had ended the relationship. Jayla drew a deep sigh. She could count all the men she had dated on one hand, and it was always the same thing, heartbreak. She wasn’t pretty enough…so she lost weight, changed her hair and got rid of the glasses. Then she wasn’t sexy enough…so she hired a fashion consultant to help change her image, her wardrobe and makeup. She had even gotten rid of the unibrow. But one thing that didn’t seem to change no matter how hard she tried, was the urge to please her man so he wouldn’t leave her for someone else.

  Jayla pushed her previous unhappiness to the side. No more. She’d read books, watched countless movies and now she was ready to unleash her wild side tonight with a man she would never have to see again.

  Just as long as she separated her heart from her body and stuck to the plan.

  A short while later, she knocked lightly at his door.

  Stefano opened it and she had to swallow. Stefano had taken his shirt and slacks off and was standing there looking handsome in a fresh t-shirt and running shorts.

  Her smile deepened. “Hey, sexy.”

  “Hola señorita.” He licked his lips as his eyes perused her body. She was so aroused she was thinking way too fast.

  Stefano stepped back and she entered the room. By the time he had shut the door, Jayla was lowering the sundress from her shoulders and onto the floor. She heard him draw in a hiss. The sound made her heart soar as she struck a pose. “You see something you like?”