Love is a Battlefield

by Vivian Arend

  She shrugged. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I was very polite to your precious Charlene.”

  Pepper took off, crossing her fingers he would leave it at that, but it was too much to hope that Jack Hunter would shy away from a confrontation. She was halfway down the hall when he tugged on her arm and shoved her through the open doorway of his office. He closed the door and turned to her with folded arms.

  “You were not polite,” he said flatly. “You were being—pardon my French—a total dick.”

  She bristled. “Gee, excuse me for not rolling out the red carpet for the woman you were sleeping with before me.”

  Jack’s brown eyes narrowed, and then understanding dawned. “Shit. You’re jealous.” A husky laugh slipped from his mouth, laced with pure satisfaction. “Your little claws came out, eh, Candy Cane? Drove you nuts to think about me and her getting it on, didn’t it?”

  The green-eyed monster reared its ugly head again, this time slashing forward with razor sharp nails. Pepper took a breath, trying to quell the images of Jack and Charlene in bed together, but a few had already flashed to mind, and she found her hands curling into fists.

  “I swear to God, Jackjack,” she ground out, “if you don’t kiss me in the next two seconds, I’m going to fly into a rage.”

  He was laughing as he closed the distance between them, stopping when his mouth was inches from hers. “You need some validation, is that it? You need me to prove you’re the only woman I’m interested in?”

  “Yes,” she said through clenched teeth. Maybe it was juvenile and needy of her, but damn it, seeing the splendor that was Charlene Halliwell had done a number on her confidence.

  “Well, tough.” Jack’s lips hovered over hers briefly before he took a firm step back. “You’re not getting off that easy.”

  Her jaw fell open. “You’re really not going to kiss me?”

  “Why would I? It goes against your rules of professionalism,” he said mockingly.

  “I changed my mind.”

  “Even so, I’m not about to reward you for being rude to our client.” His eyes gleamed. “You were a bad girl, Pepper. Bad girls need to be punished, not rewarded.”

  Her pulse kicked up a notch. The wicked look on his face was both terrifying and promising.

  “So if I accept my punishment like a good girl, will I be rewarded then?” She tipped her head, locking her gaze with his.

  Jack’s tongue slid out to sweep across his bottom lip. “Maybe.”

  “Fine. Then let’s get started. Punish me, Jack.” She licked her lips, too, knowing how hot it got him to see her do that.

  Sure enough, a glance at his groin revealed the thickening bulge beneath his fly. His eyes burned hotter, heavy-lidded and intense as he pointed to the sofa. “Take your pants off and bend over the back of the couch. Now.”

  As her heart pounded furiously, she took a deep breath and did exactly what he asked.

  Chapter Nine

  Jack wasn’t sure if he was more pissed off or entertained by the whole situation. He really should be a lot firmer with Pepper. No way should she treat a client like—and then he couldn’t think straight because her pants had already hit the floor.

  Pepper twisted her butt toward him, her barely there panties covering a miniscule amount of the smooth curves, especially when she put her stomach against the back of the couch exactly as ordered. She bent forward, wiggling until her toes were off the ground. He was mesmerized by the thin line of blue fabric curling in on itself and disappearing between her cheeks. Fuck, he might even be able to see a glimpse of pussy lips.

  She glanced over her shoulder, absolutely no contriteness in her expression whatsoever. He didn’t give a single solitary fuck. He’d wanted to do this for days.

  “Bad girls need to be punished,” he repeated, closing in so he could grab hold of her hips. The thin side straps of her thong lay under his fingers, delicate enough he could snap them without any effort whatsoever.

  “So you say.” Pepper stretched upward, letting loose an exaggerated yawn as she covered her mouth with one hand. “Go ahead. Get on with it. I can’t imagine—”

  He brought his hand down sharply, the sound of his palm meeting the soft surface echoing sharply off the office walls, mingling with her sudden gasp. She slammed her fingers over her mouth to stifle a scream.

  Jack moved his hand slowly. Her skin heated up as he tugged the scrap of fabric aside, rubbing gently where he’d hit. “There are a few things you’ve been naughty about.”

  “I let you smack my ass,” Pepper complained, squirming under him. “That’s the only thing I’ve done wrong.”

  “Really? That’s all? Hmm.” He hoisted her hips even higher, and she rumbled in surprise as her torso slipped entirely over the couch back. She was now held precariously in position with only Jack’s grip to keep her from tumbling all the way onto the seat cushions. “I’ll have to remind you so you can learn your lessons like a good girl.”

  He brought his hand down sharply three times in a row, in a slightly different spot every time. The creamy surface of her skin went a pretty pink color, tiny noises escaping her lips on each strike. When he paused, she wiggled against him as if looking for more.

  The urge to fuck her was a driving need throughout his entire body, but first they had some unfinished business, and this was as good a moment as any.

  “You were very bad last night. Telling me out of the blue we didn’t need a condom,” Jack scolded.

  “Really?” Pepper sighed mightily. “My naked ass in your face, and this is the topic—?”

  He landed another sharp smack, and another, not giving her time to snark any further. “And as excited as I am at the news, you never simply take someone’s word. Not about something as important as safe sex.”

  She stiffened. “I wouldn’t. Not with just anyone. But this is you.”

  The idea of another guy getting his cock anywhere near Pepper was enough to send a flash of red-hot anger through Jack. Still, he shoved the jealousy aside—he had no idea where this thing between them would end up, so in spite of wanting to go all caveman on her and start issuing ownership papers regarding her pussy, the lesson had to sink in so she’d never ever be so stupid again.

  “I’m glad you trust me, but don’t take chances. Not with something that could mean your life. Get proof, or use a condom.”

  “Yes, Jack.” It was the most apologetic and sincere statement he’d heard from her in a long time. Their eyes met for a brief second, and it was clear she’d gotten the message.

  The heat of the past minutes had been temporarily banked, but she was right. With her nearly naked ass right there before him, it was time to play. He knew exactly how to get the fire roaring again. He bent over and pressed a kiss to one smooth butt cheek.

  Pepper snorted. “So eager to kiss my ass, Jack?”

  “Fucking right, I am.” But the next time he put his teeth to her, biting lightly as she sucked in a quick breath. He used his tongue as he moved to the opposite side, giving it the same treatment. A kiss. A quick nip. A lave of his tongue to cool the spot.

  Every time he moved to a new location she twisted in reaction, the hand he’d placed against her lower back barely containing her squirming as he paid attention to the crease where her leg met ass.

  He avoided her pussy, but it was damn obvious she was wet, the rich scent of her arousal taunting him. Jack shot to his feet and cracked a hand down again, the strike a sharp contrast to the sensual tease of a moment earlier.

  Pepper moaned, and his groin responded instantly to the throaty noise, his cock attempting to burst free from his jeans.

  “Good girls don’t deliberately taunt their coworkers,” Jack muttered softly.

  “I promise to stop flirting with Gillian.”

  Jack laughed then ignored everything else to focus on driving her mad. He didn’t think she’d done this before, not from her comments, but was she ever responsive. His palm connected with her ass aga
in and again. With each spank Pepper’s breath escaped with a tiny puff, low and throaty and utterly wicked. As if she were stroking his cock on every single exhale.

  He lowered his aim and landed a strike over her pussy, and this time her gasp rolled into a moan that nearly undid him.

  “Jack. What…? Oh, God…”

  She opened her thighs slightly, tilting her pelvis upward like an offering, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. He caught hold of her thong, peeling the soaking scrap of fabric off between her legs. The lips of her labia were puffy and wet as he dropped behind her and buried his face in the paradise between her thighs. He lapped over every delectable inch, fucking his tongue into her pussy as deep as it would go.

  He could stay there all day and be a happy man. Licking and teasing and soaking in the taste of her. Listening to the sounds of pleasure she fought desperately to keep at a low volume.

  Except his cock was compressed behind a far too unyielding fabric, and the longer Pepper made those damn noises, the less chance there was he’d be able to hold back from ripping open his jeans and shoving his cock into her welcoming heat.

  And that wasn’t any kind of deterrent, thinking about being surrounded by the tight heaven of her body.

  Distraction. He needed a distraction really badly. He tore himself away from her, moving to the side so he could lean over the back of the couch beside her.

  She turned her head toward him, cheeks flushed, eyes wide and bright. So open and honest and fucking beautiful his heart skipped a beat.

  He was so damn turned on his cock attempted another impossible escape. She licked her lips, and the sheen of moisture on them drew him in. He pressed their mouths together and kissed her briefly. Hard and intense, before he jerked away, their eyes still locked.

  “Count,” he demanded.

  A little furrow appeared on her forehead. “Count…?”

  He stepped behind her again, his hand skimming her ass in a smooth circle. “Count to ten. Once every time I spank you, and then, if you’re good, I’ll give you my cock.”

  Pepper swallowed hard. Nodded, just the briefest of motions.

  He paused, slipping his fingers over her pussy. Sliding through the wetness to graze his fingertips over her clit ever so slowly. And when he slipped a finger into her, moisture coating him as she moaned loudly, he wasn’t sure which of them he was punishing more by prolonging the playtime.

  “Jack,” she begged, twisting around to look at him. “For God’s sake, hurry up and spank me. I need you inside me.”

  “That’s not counting.”

  “Fuck.” She took a deep breath, her muscles clamping down on his finger in a far too enticing move. For a second Jack wondered if he could survive the game he’d set before them. Then, thank God, she relaxed and faced the other way again. “I can’t count until you start.”

  Jack adjusted his stance to keep his left hand on her pussy, circling his fingers over her clit while slipping his thumb inside her wetness. A second after he had finished the adjustment, his right hand made contact with her ass again.

  “One.” The word came out low and husky, her sex-soaked voice rushing over his nerves like the first hit for a drug addict who’d been deprived for months.

  Jack paused for long enough to dance his fingertips over her clit, not so much rubbing as pushing down on the sensitive nub, while Pepper wiggled her ass towards him, attempting to spear herself harder on the single digit inside her passage.

  This was so damn hot he was going to lose control sooner rather than later. He hurriedly applied another slap against her left cheek, two in succession following it. Pepper gasped out the countdown, purring in satisfaction as he followed up and used his hand to tease her clit and rub the tender entrance to her pussy.

  Their entire world narrowed down to there and then. Jack didn’t give a shit that they were standing in his office with his coworkers, including his best friend, somewhere just outside the four walls. He’d said it before—they were adults, him and Pepper, and if what they chose to do was fuck each other’s brains out in the privacy of his office, that’s what they were going to damn well do.

  “Five.” Pepper got the word out with great difficulty. It was as if all the mental processes required for speaking had melted away because of the inexplicable volume of pleasure rolling through her. And it wasn’t just the physical part, although, holy macaroni, she’d had no idea what a turn-on spanking was. The first time Jack had put his hand to her ass she’d already been one second away from coming.

  With every strike since she’d had to make a conscious effort to hold off the mother of all orgasms that was hovering, ready to knock her feet out from under her and leave her in a whimpering pile on the floor.

  Or worse than that would be her screaming his name loud enough that everyone in the office would know they weren’t just having a “quote unquote” business discussion.

  Damn Jack Hunter to hell for being a sex god. Damn him, yet at this moment she was more than happy to worship the man’s skills in rocking her world.

  She only had five more spanks to go, and as the next landed, Pepper found herself gasping six, immediately followed by seven and eight as Jack managed to not only hit all the erogenous zones in her ass, but the talented man kept using his fingers at the same time. Fucking her, and tearing apart everything she was using to stabilize herself.

  How had she reached the age of twenty-three without knowing she had erogenous zones back there? Who cared, they were there, and he was…

  Jack paused. Again. The bastard.

  “Don’t stop,” she croaked, throat tight from containing the screams of pleasure that wanted to burst free.

  But he held off the final two blows. Anticipation hung over them like a tangible thing. Her skin tingled as he pumped his fingers deep inside her, rubbing the front of her passage and making stars appear before her eyes. She knew better than to put her tongue between her teeth for fear she would bite it straight off, so instead she locked her jaw and stared hard at the closet door and prayed he’d get frustrated enough to forget the rest of his threats and instead blow her mind.

  She was ready to be fucked. She was oh so ready.

  Jack took his hand from between her legs, gripping her ass and massaging the tender cheeks. A low growl escaped him as he slid both thumbs over her labia then teased the entrance to her pussy.

  One hand slipped higher. “You ever have anal sex?” he demanded in a harsh whisper.

  Oh, Lordy, surely he wouldn’t? “Yeah. I like it. It’s hot…”

  For a second he tightened his grip on her hip, obviously on the verge of losing it. Thank goodness, because so was she. Still, he teased the sensitive nerves between her butt cheeks for just long enough she was ready to flip around and lock her legs around his waist so she could stab herself down on his cock.

  “I’m going to fuck your ass sometime. Not here, not now, but someday I want to see my cock sliding into you. You’ll take every frickin’ bit of me and I’ll fuck you so hard you won’t be able to sit down for days.”

  His hand connected with bare skin.

  “Nine!” Pepper all but shouted before remembering where they were. She was so turned on the room seemed to waver, the walls moving, the door she was staring at no longer closed, but partially opened.

  But as Jack thrust his fingers into her to fuck her rapidly, Pepper realized it was no closet door she was gazing at, but a connection between Jack’s office and the one next door.

  She tensed, ready to call out a warning when the final slap against her ass hit at the same moment her eyes met Dean’s.

  “Ten,” Pepper moaned.

  That wasn’t what she’d intended to say. It wasn’t stop or wait or get the hell out of here, because finishing the countdown was the only thing that mattered even as she stared into the shocked gray eyes of her boyfriend’s partner while he stood motionless behind the narrow gap as if unable to turn away.

  And then there was no other chance to protest
because Jack had the hard head of his cock pressed to her opening. He gripped her hips tightly and with one thrust buried himself deep.

  “God, yes…” she hissed, hands clutching the leather seat. Trapped by her need for completion as Jack slammed his hips forward, fucking her as if he were possessed. Nothing around them now but the sounds of their heavy breathing and the wet moisture where their bodies joined.

  And Dean observing from the doorway.

  She was all kinds of twisted, because it should have felt like a creeper was watching them, but the expression in Dean’s eyes as he gazed hungrily into the room—she couldn’t stop an enormous shudder of intense desire from rocking through her body.

  Between all that had come before, and the relentless pounding from Jack’s oh-so-skilled thrusts, and the fiery approval with which Dean soaked in their raunchy scene…

  Pepper clamped her lips together to stop a scream from escaping as her orgasm took her out, her vision blurring as endorphins slammed into her system so hard she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t do anything but accept the pleasure winging through her.

  Behind her, Jack groaned, his hips pulsing helplessly as he came as well. Heat flashed hotter inside her, wetter than usual. His strong arms wrapped around and lifted her. Her back glued to his chest as his lips found hers, heads twisted to the side as they gasped for air through the kiss. Bodies held tight together as the room spun.

  Pepper kissed him back, reaching up to lock a hand around his neck as he held her vertical. She could have been floating in midair for all she knew.

  Somehow they ended up on the couch, Jack under her, her naked ass resting in his lap as he held her against his chest and they found their equilibrium. Under her ear his heart pounded, his hands stroking her shoulders gently.

  “Wow.” Once she could finally take a full breath again, Pepper let out a contented sigh. “That was…freaking awesome.”

  “Dirty girl,” Jack teased. “I should have known you’d like the kinky stuff.”

  Oh hell. His words reminded her of the other unforeseen part of the adventure. Pepper’s gaze darted to the still-open door, but no one stood there anymore—the hairline crack between rooms revealed nothing but a dark, empty space on the opposite side.