by Dawn Ryder
He cupped her hips, sending a little jolt of awareness through her. It was deeply erotic, traveling into her core.
“Fair is fair?” he inquired as his eyes narrowed and she rubbed her hands over the hard bulges of his pectorals.
“Exactly,” she muttered, stretching up to kiss his jaw.
So simple, and yet she realized she craved the lightest of contacts with him just as much as the harder ones. There was an intimacy in kissing his chin, a spark of excitement rising from the way she felt him shudder in response.
“You make me understand intimacy,” she muttered in a whisper.
He scooped her off her feet, cradling her against his chest as he carried her into the bunk house. He laid her down, smoothing her hair back from her face as he stared at her for a long moment.
“I half expect to wake up and find this nothing but a dream,” he said.
Jenna reached up, curling her hand around his nape. “Let’s let the dream continue … All we have to do is refuse to doubt it.”
“Works for me,” he said in a husky tone.
He was all man-animal. At the moment, he was hard and warm. There was a slight scent of soap clinging to his skin as he claimed her mouth in a kiss. She pushed her hand into his hair, finding droplets of water still clinging to his scalp.
There was something raw about knowing he was fresh from the shower.
Just as there was something about his kiss that made her crave more of his skin.
What started out as a moment of soft enjoyment was rapidly giving way to urgency. Part of her just didn’t want to risk the dream bubble popping and dropping her back into a cold reality where Dare was someone she couldn’t reach.
She reached for him, sliding her hands along his chest as she sat up and purred when he tugged her shirt up and over her head. The little hooks on her bra lasted only a moment before Dare was stripping the undergarment down her arms and tossing it aside.
“Pretty sure this bunk hasn’t seen this type of action before,” he muttered as he cupped her breasts.
“Not in the flesh anyway,” she countered as she stood up and stripped out of her jeans.
“I love your ass…”
Jenna turned away, but he caught her up against his body, reaching down to cup her bottom.
“I … love”—his lips were so close to hers, she felt his breath—“this … butt … don’t ever lose it.”
The proof of his words was pressing against her. His cock was hard behind his fly.
And it was too tempting for her to ignore.
“I have some favorite parts of you…”
He chuckled softly, allowing her to open his waistband and reach inside to free his cock.
“I hope to God that’s one of your favorite parts…”
It was a wholly male thing to say. As in, locker-room vocabulary.
She liked it though because they were alone and the only person he was bragging to was her. “I have to admit…”
She drew her hand along his length to the head, where she worried the underside of it with her thumb.
He drew in a harsh breath. “Admit … what?”
Jenna pumped her hand down to the base of his length and then pulled upward as she let her fingers milk him.
“Oh … would you prefer we … talk?” She aimed wide eyes at him, pumping her hand up and down his cock a few more times.
His lips thinned, arousal flickering in his eyes. “Talk … no … scream…” There was a flash of warning in his eyes. “Let’s not waste all this concrete.”
His complacency evaporated in a second. She watched the way his expression changed, sending a thrill of anticipation through her insides as he scooped her up and cradled her on her way back onto the bunk.
“Dare…”
Was she warning him?
Or encouraging him?
Truthfully, it felt like a mixture sure to intoxicate her with the combination. The hint of being pushed out of control was the spice that added a little burn to the experience.
Hell, sex with Dare was an epic experience.
“Now … let’s see if I can’t do this right…”
He’d pulled her knees over the edge of the bunk and pushed her legs wide. It left her sex exposed to his gaze. He reached out and teased her folds, slipping his fingers along the outer edges where the skin was so sensitive that she tried to roll away.
“Easy, baby…”
There was a note of coaxing in his tone but what thrilled her was the flash of determination in his eyes.
Like she was the sole purpose of his existence.
He leaned forward, allowing her to feel his breath against her spread sex before she let out a cry as he lapped her. She was in a state of heightened arousal with his mouth hot against her. He licked her from opening to clit, closing his lips around the little throbbing bundle of nerves and sucking.
“Christ!” She gripped the blanket, curling up, but at the same time, her hips were lifting toward his mouth, seeking more pressure. Her insides were churning, the need to climax building incredibly fast. She was being fast-tracked, her self-control left behind by the frantic pace. He moved down and rimmed her with the tip of his tongue, awakening a whole new set of cravings inside her passage.
She wanted him inside her.
Wanted to fuck.
It was blunt, just like all of her impulses were when it came to Dare.
“I didn’t use my mouth before…” He was standing up, enjoying the way she was laid out in front of him. There was a purely male glow of satisfaction on his face.
“That would have been too personal.”
He shucked his pants, his cock jutting out from his body. “I want to be very personal with you, Jenna.”
She curled up, clasping his length and taking it inside her mouth. It seemed the most natural thing to do, like a completion of the moment. Just being in contact with him was what was important. His hand was in her hair, fisting in the strands as he growled. She coaxed the first few drops of his cum from his cock before he was pulling her back, denying her a victory.
“I need more, Jenna…” He was gathering her up against him, turning and pressing her back to the wall. “I have to have more…”
His eyes glowed as he lifted her up and impaled her. She gasped, her head rolling back as she locked her legs around his body and held tight to his shoulders.
“Give it to me…” She rasped. “Give me … More…”
He didn’t hesitate. Flexing his hips to work his cock back and forth, thrusting hard into her as she cried out. There was too much to contain, so she just let go and went with the moment.
His cries …
Her cries …
It was all a jumbled mess that bounced around inside the walls as they strained towards each other. Control had long since vanished, leaving them both at the mercy of the intensity of the moment.
Cravings …
Hunger …
Those were the only things left in her world and the man feeding those urges. She strained toward him, absorbing each thrust as the wall behind her supported them both.
Climax was hard.
It felt like it ripped through her, sending her spiraling out of control. She screamed, needing a release as she heard him growl.
Not a low sound of amusement, this was savage and full bodied. He enunciated it with a hard thrust that buried his length in her to the base. His balls slapped against her while she felt the spurt of his release.
God, that was the final thing.
The feeling of his hot cum flooding her. She came again; this time it felt like her womb was tightening.
“Too … damned … fast…” Dare was panting, leaning against her as he quivered.
But he didn’t let her down, he carried her into the shower, where the cold water was refreshing and the perfect ending to the moment. He washed her. Running the soap along her limbs as she turned and let the water ease the ache from how hard she’d been straining. He cupped her breasts
, teasing her nipples as he lathered them up before turning her to face the spray.
“Too fast…” He muttered against her shoulder.
“Let’s do something about it…”
Jenna took him by the hand, leaving wet footprints through the doorway on the way back to the bunk.
Yeah, live in the moment.
No matter what.
* * *
Campaigns involved lots of people.
Carl soaked up the cheers, even enjoying the protest signs present. His path to and from speaking engagements was always well secured. His supporters were pressing up against the barricades, trying to shake his hand. He dove from one side to the other, making contact with people.
And then his blood froze.
His poise faltered as he stared at a ghost.
Rick Sullivan.
Eric was quick to notice, easing Carl forward. Shock held him tight though and he looked over his shoulder expecting the guy to be gone.
Just a trick of stress.
But he was there, leaning past people to smile and wave at Carl.
* * *
“Let’s let the dream continue … all we have to do is refuse to doubt it.”
Jenna was asleep, but her words rose from his memory. Dare smoothed a hand along her hip, enjoying the way she was curled against his side.
“What are you thinking about?” She lifted her head and locked gazes with him.
He offered her a grin. “Not bad, I thought you were sleeping.”
She shifted her thigh against his. “And waste this moment?”
She was suddenly moving, rising up and straddling him. Her breasts were in perfect position for him to cup as she rocked back and forth against his cock where it was lying between the folds of her sex.
She was still wet.
From him.
It was erotic and tender and everything he’d decided didn’t have a place in his life.
Maybe she was right. They should let the dream continue.
* * *
“You’d better listen to me…” Carl hissed at Kirkland. “I’ve got a fucking picture of him and it’s Ricky Sullivan for sure. He knows too much about both of us.”
“I thought you said he was killed by Shadow Ops.” Kirkland’s voice was full of doubt.
“It’s him,” Carl insisted.
“Then get off the fucking phone,” Kirkland replied. “Someone is messing with you, don’t lead them to me.”
The line died, leaving Carl looking at the tumbler of whiskey on his desk. The liquor held no appeal for a change.
He was so close.
Mere weeks separated him from the election.
But Sullivan knew a hell of a lot. Carl paced around the office for a moment before his assistant chimed in on the intercom.
“Ten minutes, sir.”
Below him, there were people paying two thousand dollars a plate to hear him speak. It would all go to charity. Just the right touch for the final days of the election.
Fuck.
He grunted and collected himself before letting his security detail escort him to the ballroom. The sea of faces was a happy one, applause bouncing around the room while he made his way to the podium. It took a long time for the crowd to settle down enough for him to speak.
That fueled his confidence.
He was leading in the polls and the time was running down. Even Rick Sullivan wouldn’t be able to stop him soon. His passion rose as he finished his speech, the crowd rising up to give him a standing ovation. The smile he flashed them was genuine.
It was too late in the game.
He moved around the room greeting movers in the state of Florida, pausing for pictures until it was time to leave. His exit was rehearsed. Both options. Eric was by his side as they took to the stairs and stepped out the back entrance of the hotel.
Carl settled back into the plush seat of his armored limousine, reaching for a whisky, his earlier upset forgotten.
But he never tasted the liquor. His hand was frozen half-way to his lips as he looked through the tinted window and found Kagan looking back at him.
Half concealed by a loading dock, the Shadow Ops section leader was in a perfect place to be seen as Carl’s driver followed the instruction laid down for him.
It was no coincidence.
Kagan sent him a solid stare before melting back into the darkness.
Carl wanted to be pissed.
Instead, he ended up reaching for a napkin to mop away the cold sweat from his forehead.
“I can’t kill you, because that would make me no better than Tyler Martin. And I believe that no matter how unfair life can be, there is still a good helping of karma out there.”
Kagan’s words rose from Carl’s memory. No, Kagan wouldn’t have to kill him, Ricky Sullivan had more than enough reason and motivation. And now he had Kagan’s resources behind him. Carl felt his belly heaving with the need to vomit.
The fact that he’d done the same to others without blinking or losing a wink of sleep didn’t cross Carl’s mind. What he was consumed with was just how vulnerable he felt.
He picked up the phone and dialed Eric.
* * *
“Get the fuck out.”
Kirkland threw the towel he’d used to wipe away his cum at the girl who had been shucking his cock.
She didn’t duck, just lowered her eyes and took the insult as though she believed she’d earned it.
Right. She was his bitch and knew it. One of the lucky ones he’d picked out of the lineup and kept as his own instead of sending her to work in the massage spas he owned.
Beyond the cinder-block wall, his fans were still buzzing. The media empire he managed made sure the stadiums were full when he performed.
He was a king.
The girl? Just a pet.
Carl Davis? A fucking thorn in his side.
Mack knocked before entering.
“Did you find the asshole?”
Mack nodded. “As far as I can tell, it’s Ricky Sullivan. I’ve got a net laid out to find him before he comes looking for you.”
Kirkland grunted, pacing around the performers’ room for a minute. He stopped though, something catching his eye on the security cameras.
He flattened his hands on the makeup station and touched the screen, scrolling back through the last few images.
“So the ice princess is here,” he muttered as he stared at a picture of Thais in one of the prime box seats. “Who is she?”
Eric swiped his finger across the screen of his smart pad and looked at the financial records.
“It’s coming up as private.”
Kirkland turned and looked at Mack.
“The box was paid for in cash.”
Kirkland watched as she drained her shot glass and started to get up. “Invite her back here.”
Mack pressed down on a tiny button on his ear phone. Kirkland enjoyed knowing she’d come to him.
Yeah, because he was the master, and she was just another bitch for him to school.
“She declined.”
“What?” Kirkland demanded.
“She said backstage was boring.”
Kirkland felt his temper stir back to life. Whoever the hell she was, she was exactly what he needed to work off the stress of seeing Ricky Sullivan surface from the grave.
“Think I’ll go meet her. Don’t lose her.”
He was off a moment later.
* * *
Thais moved across a sky bridge toward a high-end hotel. Miami catered to the rich, and they liked their air-conditioning.
She moved slowly, making a display of herself while also appearing like she had nothing important to do at all. Men like Kirkland adored breaking the will of those around them. He’d see her as a pet to be tamed. Her spirit to be broken. He was watching, she knew it.
As far as doing her job, she was getting it done. Kagan wanted Kirkland watched, and she would be the perfect person to do it. Only she’d bring Kirkland to her. Ma
ke him do the work. It was really a brilliant method of surveillance.
What surprised her was when she found herself facing Dunn Bateson.
He wasn’t a man anyone easily forgot. Not with his height and muscular frame that made it clear he was a very hands-on sort of man.
He also had green eyes. They were a rare combination with his dark hair and gave him a slightly unearthly appearance.
Her poise tried to waver.
Thais drew in a deep breath and forced herself to look straight into Dunn Bateson’s green eyes. She’d seen good-looking men before.
But this one reached out and snagged her by the upper arm, pulling her neatly around a pillar and into an alcove where they were strangely alone.
“You shouldn’t handle me,” she advised him.
Dunn wasn’t impressed with her narrow-eyed set down.
Most men were.
If truth were told, it was rather intriguing to find a man who stood up to her.
If you’re brutally honest, you’ll admit you like it …
“You shouldn’t be pimped out by your team leader,” Dunn countered.
He placed himself between her and the escape route. They weren’t the only couple using the load bearing structure supports for a little privacy. Which was why it took her by surprise to feel a burn on her cheeks.
Her poise faltered.
“Don’t involve yourself. We are not connected,” she informed him.
Thais turned and left, ducking into the ladies’ room to ensure she had the time needed to collect herself and get her mind back on Kirkland and the case.
She never blushed.
And yet, the spotless mirrors above the vanities showed her a reflection that included glowing cheeks. She actually reached up and stroked one side of her face.
How long had it been?
Not long enough was the correct answer. She had a case, one her team was counting on her to remain focused on.
And Dunn Bateson wasn’t part of it.
Neither was blushing over him.
* * *
“Kirkland is taking the bait.” Zane’s voice came over the tiny microphone Thais had in her ear.
She dropped her lipstick into her purse and left the ladies’ room.