Looking for Trouble

by Victoria Dahl

  He flashed the briefest of smiles. “Sophie, do I look like the kind of guy who cares what people say? You’re the one who has to live here. And my mom never wants anyone to forget.”

  “Yeah. She’s a real sucker for nostalgia.”

  “Ha.” His bark of laughter startled her. “Christ, Sophie. I’ll try to talk some sense into her while I’m here. But...”

  “I know. She honestly hasn’t been that bad until recently. But if I’d known she lived here...”

  “You wouldn’t have bought the place?”

  She shrugged. “It’s my great-uncle’s. I’m taking care of it for him while he’s in the nursing home. It won’t be forever. It’s just been tough lately with everything being back in the spotlight.”

  He ducked his head for a moment, then his eyes rose to meet her. “So why’d you meet me at that bar? Seems a little risky.”

  His voice had dropped. Sophie’s heart skipped. “It was risky,” she whispered.

  He nodded. “Almost as risky as accepting a ride with a stranger.”

  “Yes.” Her voice cracked a little.

  His gaze went hot, as if he knew exactly the effect he was having on her. Fuck, he looked eight feet tall inside her house. She was barefoot and out of sorts and he was so big.

  “I won’t take you out again,” he said.

  Her fantasy froze to ice. “Oh. Right. Of course not.”

  “It’s not fair. I’m leaving town. You’re staying here. You’re the one at risk.”

  She nodded. She understood. Of course she did, but... “It’s not that big of a deal. Once this week is past, people will go back to not caring. Especially now that the mystery is dead.” As dead as her mom and his dad.

  “Yeah.” He glanced around the room as if noticing it for the first time. The couch and television were new. Her uncle’s had been moved to his room so he could feel more at home. Still, very few of the things here were hers. It was a house, but not her home.

  “But I still owe you,” Alex suddenly said.

  She snapped her gaze back to him. “What?”

  “I promised you more.”

  “I’m not...” she stammered. “I mean, I thought you’d... Once you realized who I was.”

  “It’s risky,” he said, using her own words to seduce her. “Probably a terrible idea.”

  “Yes. It is.”

  “And you fucking turn me on like crazy.”

  Oh, God. Her heart twisted and then set off running, the pulse of it echoing to her throat, her stomach, her pussy.

  That was what she wanted. To make a man like him crazy for her. Desperate to put those big strong hands on her and show her exactly what he wanted from her body.

  She licked her lips, trying to wet her mouth enough to speak, but when Alex’s hooded gaze dropped to her parted lips, her throat went even drier.

  “But you really shouldn’t have kept it from me, Sophie.”

  “I know,” she rasped.

  His gaze dropped to her throat when she swallowed, then his eyes fell lower. “Take off your shirt.”

  She drew in a quick breath, as stunned by his words as she was by the lust that stabbed through her. She stared at him in shock, wondering if he was just teasing or if she’d misunderstood him, but he didn’t say it again. He just watched and waited.

  Her hands trembled. She tried to quiet her breath.

  “No one will know,” he murmured. “I promise.” And oh, God, that was all she wanted. For no one else to know anything about her. To be hidden. To disappear in darkness and animal lust and anonymity.

  Sophie reached for the top button of her shirt. She fumbled with it. His eyes narrowed as she finally slipped the button free. “The next one,” he said. This time she didn’t hesitate. She unfastened the second button, and the third, then all the way down until she could shrug her blouse off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

  She felt more confident now. She was wearing one of her favorite bras. A simple little ivory number made of such delicate fabric that the pink of her nipples was clearly visible. And the matching panties were nearly sheer, too.

  “Keep going,” he said.

  Sophie unfastened her pants and slipped them down, too. She stepped out of them and raised her head to watch him. He looked even more dangerous now, fierce and aroused, but somehow she only felt calmer. She lifted her chin and set her shoulders and let him look at her until she could hear that his breathing came almost as fast as hers.

  His gaze fell to her panties, and she shifted. Cool air touched between her legs, and she knew she was wet already. So wet that she’d soaked through the thin material. She wondered if he could see that, and the idea embarrassed and thrilled her. She squeezed her thighs together. Alex seemed done with ordering her around. Instead of speaking, he stepped closer, moving slowly as if wanting to give her a chance to say no.

  But she wasn’t even close to objecting. She watched his big hand reach toward her, and when it slipped over her hip, pleasure flashed through her and then settled deep in her belly.

  “Look at you,” he murmured, his hand sliding up her ribs and then back down to her hip again.

  Yes, she wanted to say, look at me. She kept this side of herself so hidden, but not with him. With him she wanted to stretch her body out and demand every ounce of his attention.

  But she didn’t need to. He watched his own hand as his fingers spread over her curves. She looked down, too, and God, it was beautiful. Her pale, smooth skin under his tanned and tattooed flesh. She could feel the slight rasp of his fingertips and see the long stretch of muscles flexing beneath his inked skin.

  Jesus, she wanted to lick every inch of him. Bite his most sensitive spots. Make him suck in his breath and tighten his hold and get too rough.

  His big hand slid beneath her panties to grasp her ass and pull her to him. He ducked his head and kissed her.

  He wasn’t so careful this time. If there’d been any question about her willingness, she’d already answered it, so his mouth slanted over hers and took her hard. He reached behind her and then her bra was sliding down.

  Thank God. She was ready. She needed this. She moved both hands up to his head to clutch his skull and pull him tighter, and now his hands were gripping her ass, pulling her tight to him, kneading her flesh.

  There’d be no more waiting. He meant to fuck her today, and she meant to take him.

  His hand slid farther down and stroked between her legs. Sophie tore her mouth free to gulp enough air to feed her racing heart.

  “Damn,” he cursed, apparently shocked at how wet she was, but she wasn’t shocked. She felt so tight and swollen that she could come within seconds if she wanted to.

  Alex backed her up a few feet, and she went blindly with him until her back touched the wall. Then he went to his knees. His mouth was on her before she could brace herself, the heat of him startling through the fabric of her panties.

  “Oh, God,” she gasped as his tongue pressed against her, then his teeth scraped against her flesh and she cried out. If he’d meant to tease her, he quickly lost patience and tugged her panties down until they fell to her ankles. If she’d thought his mouth was hot before, she’d been wrong. Now it was liquid fire against her pussy, and his tongue a firm, stroking touch as he tasted her.

  He grunted against her, his tongue pushing deeper before it settled against her clit.

  Sophie moaned, sliding her feet farther apart to make it easier for him to please her. And God, he did. His tongue flicked her clit, almost too lightly until he grunted again and sucked at it, the scruff of his face scraping her sensitive flesh. His fingers dug into her ass. He sucked and she groaned, then felt him chuckle against her, the vibration of it singing over her taut nerves. She thought she’d come right then, but his tongue was light against her aga
in, teasing, nearly breaking her with the nearness of her orgasm.

  Sophie grasped his head in her hands, the prickle of his stubble against her palms almost too much for her mind to process. Yet another wicked sensation to take in. Her palms sizzled with the feel of it as her whole body trembled. His tongue was so light, so torturous, so perfect and maddening.

  She gripped his head harder, pressed him tight, and when he sucked at her this time, she finally got what she wanted. Her entire body was that one spot, all heat and pressure and tightness. She pressed her head back against the wall, and let everything spiral tight.

  “Yes,” she urged. And then she broke apart, shaking, screaming, pressing herself to the sweet heat of his mouth.

  He didn’t let up, he didn’t miss a beat, he just opened his mouth wider and sucked harder and rode the wild spasms of her hips as she came. When the pleasure finally shook its way out of her, she felt drugged. Spent. Her knees trembled with such weakness she would’ve felt embarrassed by it if she’d had the capacity. But she didn’t. All she could think was Oh, fuck.

  He was good. So good.

  When he rose up, Sophie had to press herself to the wall to stay upright. Then he reached for the buckle of his belt, and she wasn’t sure the wall would be enough. Her mouth went dry and her heart gave up its new languid pace and thumped to eager life again.

  Right here. While she was naked, her clothes strewn across the living room floor. With him still fully dressed. He was going to take her right here, against the wall, like she was a toy to be enjoyed whenever he felt like it.

  He unzipped his jeans and reached into his briefs and then, good Lord, he fisted his cock in his hand and eased it out. Sophie made a noise. She couldn’t help it. He was thick and beautiful, the head a perfect plum she wanted to taste. And when he reached for her hand and wrapped it around the base, she moaned. She couldn’t help that either, because he was even thicker now with her small hand wrapped around him. So thick and hard and heavy that she felt faint with lust. She wanted all of that.

  He tugged his wallet from his back pocket. He must have been getting out a condom, but Sophie couldn’t bother to look. She was too busy watching her hand squeeze him. Then stroke. All the way up to that gorgeous head and then back down. He hissed in a breath, so she did it again. More firmly this time. She was rewarded with a tiny bead of liquid at the tip. Sophie slicked her thumb over it and swirled it around.

  “Jesus,” he groaned. She heard the tear of the condom wrapper and let him go so he could put it on.

  There was clearly no need for more foreplay, and she was glad he didn’t pretend. Alex simply bent his knees and lifted one of her legs to his hip. He notched his cock to her opening and he penetrated her. Slowly. Patiently. But without a hint of hesitation. He pushed in, forced her open, and Sophie groaned at the way her body stretched for him.

  “Oh, God,” she whispered. “God. Yes.”

  He pulled back a little, then thrust hard, burying himself deep and tight inside her. She couldn’t breathe for a moment, so stunned by the brutal invasion. But she loved it. She was so wet that it didn’t matter how big he was, her body let him in.

  Alex pulled her other leg up, wrapped her ankles around him, and began to fuck her. Her shoulders were pressed to the wall, but his big hands held her ass in a steady grip as he thrust hard and slow, looking down to watch as his cock disappeared into her. Sophie twined her arms around his neck and took him.

  “God, you’re hot,” he growled. “So hot and wet for me.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re perfect. Fucking beautiful.”

  “Yes,” she repeated. She was. Shoved against the wall and fucked like an animal. She was wild and amazing.

  He kissed her and she tasted herself on his mouth and loved it. She wanted more, so she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and began to move with him. Alex groaned into her mouth. His hands got a better grip on her ass and he moved her like she belonged to him. Like she weighed nothing. Like she was just an extension of his body and he could use her any way he liked.

  His cock filled her over and over, shoving out thoughts of anything except him. His thick, hard flesh. His need to be inside her, as deep as anyone could get. Sweat made his neck slick beneath her hands, and she liked making him work hard for it.

  He shifted his hold, hooking his arms under her thighs and lifting her higher against the wall. Now she was spread wide and vulnerable. Alex thrust hard. Sophie screamed.

  “Is that how you like it, Sophie?”

  She shut her eyes and nodded. He slammed his hips into her, his cock sinking deep and true.

  “You like to be fucked hard? Tell me.”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “Look at me.” His voice was a snarled order. “Look at me and tell me what you want.”

  She didn’t want to. It was too much. She’d already shown him just who she was. But his hips slammed into her again. “Look at me,” he growled.

  She opened her eyes. Alex looked like someone’s deepest fears. His shaved head and stubbled face and wide, muscled shoulders and the vivid threat of his tattoos as his biceps flexed to hold her still for his pleasure. His face offered no reassurance. He looked furious and desperate as he fucked her. An animal bent on violence. Like he wanted to hurt her with his cock.

  Sophie’s stomach clenched inside her. Her heart tripped over fear and lust and danger. “Fuck me, Alex,” she said.

  He snarled and fucked her faster.

  “Fuck me,” she repeated. “Hard. Please, just...Please.”

  He lifted her hips, tipping them up, pressing her shoulders harder against the wall. His motorcycle boots provided the perfect traction on her wood floor. Sophie whimpered as he pistoned into her.

  “Are you going to come again?” he asked.

  She shook her head. She couldn’t. Not even for him.

  “Yes, you are,” he growled. “Touch yourself.”

  “I can’t—”

  “Touch yourself.”

  There was no saying no to him. Not when his voice was as hard as a fist. She unlaced her clutching fingers from behind his neck and carefully slid a hand between their bodies. Her bare sex was slippery wet. Her fingers brushed his cock as it slid out of her, and his shaft was slick and hot from her cunt.

  “Oh, God,” she whispered, then said it again when she brushed her clit and jerked against his thrust.

  “That’s it,” he murmured.

  She pressed her fingers to her clit and felt the way his cock dragged against her flesh. He was so thick, so big. “Yes,” she urged.

  “I want to feel it,” he said. “I want to feel you come around my cock. Do that for me, Sophie.”

  She shook her head again, but she wasn’t sure she meant it. Just the way his voice ordered her so roughly was pushing her closer.

  “Yes,” he insisted, his hands pulling her hips even higher. “That’s it,” he murmured when she circled her clit faster. “Show me how much you love it.”

  Oh, fuck, she did love it. She did. “Harder,” she demanded.

  Alex cursed and wrapped a hand behind her shoulders to pull her toward him. He knelt and lowered her back carefully to the floor, but that was the last hint of restraint. Once she was on her back, he drove hard into her, forcing a cry from her throat.

  “Harder?” he growled, his hips slapping into hers.

  “Yes,” she rasped. “Yes, yes,” as she took him deep and deeper and she finally felt that sweet tension building, tightening around his thick cock. He curved over her, fisting a hand into her hair.

  “Come for me,” he ordered. And she did. She came, head thrown back, clenching her teeth to hold back a scream, hips lifting to take him deeper as she climaxed.

  He stilled within her. For a moment, all she could feel was her o
wn body, tight and pulsing, the spasms just starting to fade. But as her awareness returned, she realized he was still hard, his muscles still taut.

  The fist in her hair loosened. He slid his hand to her jaw and tipped her head toward him. “That was good, Sophie,” he murmured against her mouth. “So good.” Then he kissed her and moved slowly inside her. His cock pushed deep, then slid out so slowly that she hummed with pleasure.

  She curved her arms around him and dug her fingers into his ass. He still wore his jeans. And she was still so naked. But she felt powerful as his muscles clenched under her hands. Alex grunted and went taut as his heart thundered against hers and he thrust one last time. She held him there and wished it wasn’t over.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “HI, MANNY!” SOPHIE called as she walked down her driveway into the crisp morning.

  Her sixty-year-old neighbor popped up from the open door of his taxi and tipped his porkpie hat. “Hey! Beautiful day, ain’t it?”

  “It’s perfect,” she responded, meaning it wholeheartedly.

  Manny got back to cleaning the inside of his windshield. “You know, my nonny always said ‘Autumn days come quickly like a running hound.’”

  “That’s a lovely saying, Manny. You must miss her.”

  “She was a good woman. Real traditional-like.”

  Sophie shook her head once she was past his lot. Manny didn’t have a nonny. His family had come to Wyoming by way of Utah in the nineteenth century, and his name was Michael. But Manny had gone to New York once in his youth and he’d fallen in love. He’d retired from his job teaching high school shop class five years ago, and he was finally living his dream of being a New York cabdriver. In Jackson Hole.

  He’d somehow acquired a trace of a New York accent along with his yellow-checker-painted Ford Taurus and old-fashioned cap. The tourists bought into the shtick and she was pretty sure Manny had bought into it, too. But it made him happy, so even the locals played along.

  Everyone deserved something to make them happy.