Blocked

by Lisa N. Paul

  As if she sensed his momentary loss of time and space, April gently stroked his jaw until his eyes once again made contact with hers. “And I’ve wanted you since the first second I saw you at the gym.” Her lips curved. “Any man who can bench-press that much weight and not make those silly grunting noises is someone I pay attention to.” Her dimples sunk deeper. “It didn’t hurt that you were easy on the eyes and compassionate to boot. When that older woman tripped and fell getting off of the treadmill, you helped her up and got her ice for her ankle. You were so kind and gentle with her. Kind of like a superhero that day, Decker Brand.”

  “Are you saying I’m not a superhero every day, Ms. Maddox?” Dimples, again… it was like playing Skee-Ball and scoring in the coveted top ring. No matter how many times you win, you always feel like a champ. Seeing April’s dimples and knowing they were aimed at him… yeah, totally fucking winning.

  With one hand placing whisper soft touches on his throbbing cock, April lifted the cloth napkin from her lap and laid it gently on the table. “Do you wanna get out of here?” Her wide eyes showed she was just as surprised by her brazen actions as he was.

  After three dates, hours spent at the gym, and countless dirty chats and texts, maybe April Maddox was dying to get her hands all over him like he was her. Maybe she, too, wanted to feel the length of him pressing into her as they came together for the first time. Fuck, I want her.

  Decker lifted his hand and signaled for the check.

  * * *

  WITH THE CHECK paid at lightning speed, Decker placed his large hand on the small of April’s back and led her to the restaurant door. The heat from his palm sent tingles up her spine and moisture between her thighs.

  Oh my God. Is this really happening? Holy shit, this is finally happening! Like one of her preteen students instead of a grown woman, her thoughts flipped-flopped from excited to nervous, from giddy to curious. Had she made the right moves? Brazen had never been her way, but the years she’d spent tucked away inside herself hadn’t brought her happiness either. So at the advice of her friends and siblings, she decided to leap outside of her comfort zone and reach for what she wanted, and she wanted Decker Brand. Due to circumstances beyond their control, their timing seemed to veer on the opposite end of opportune.

  There was no questioning the desire they shared—Christ, she felt as though she could drown in its depth—but her past had taught her a bitch of a lesson, and it wasn’t one she’d ever care to repeat. Therefore, she’d taken the tortoise’s route instead of the hare’s. Slow and steady kept her safe but left her horny as all hell. Although that would be remedied shortly because she intended to hop her ass to the finish line no matter what, and she couldn’t wait to collect her reward.

  Walking through the small parking lot with his arm draped protectively around her waist sent small jolts of anticipation zipping through her already hyper-aware body. Everything about the man to her left was imprinted into her memory—the way his tall, hard frame gave balance to her knees that just barely kept her upright, his scent, a spicy blend of cedar, pine, and Decker, hung ever so lightly in the spring, just enough to make her mouth water and her heart race. The man was a sensory feast, and she suffered from insatiable hunger.

  They stopped in front of her car. They’d agreed to meet at the restaurant because she still felt more comfortable having her own transportation.

  “I’ll drive slowly so you can follow me back to my place,” April’s skin bloomed with goose bumps as Decker’s thumb glided up and down her arm as he spoke. “But just in case, please enter my address into your GPS.” Decker shifted closer, his mouth mere inches from her ear. “I don’t wanna lose you tonight, April.” Yep, those seven words had her blood pulsing through her veins while eagerness clenched at her core as she tapped in his address.

  “Are you sure you want to take this back to your place, Deck? I mean, I’ve never been there before and… what if Charlie finds out?” She saw a quick flash of something pass over his face. If it was guilt or the thrill of getting caught, April had no idea; but as quickly as the look had come, it was gone.

  Decker opened her car door and waited until she was tucked and buckled safely into her seat before speaking. His brow arched as his chocolate eyes glittered. “It’s late, April. Charlie’s been sleeping for a while.” His lips curled up in the half grin that April had named his gotcha smirk as his voice dropped to a gravelly pitch. “As much as I look forward to hearing how you sound when you’re screaming my name as you come”—he winked—“tonight, we’re gonna have to go on touch instead.”

  “Ahh, so kind of like mime sex,” April teased, squeezing her thighs together. Everything the man said sparked her libido, and she was one flare away from detonation.

  Her heart revved up, pounding wildly into her ribs as Decker’s brown eyes blackened at her comment. Their relationship flourished due to their easy banter, snarky remarks, and similar sense of humor, but as he licked his lips and leaned into her car, the only thing that occupied her mind was getting his mouth closer to her own. She didn’t have long to wait. Decker tipped her chin up and crushed his lips to hers. His tongue breached the seam of her lips and demanded entrance into her mouth. Her breathless whimper seemed to rev up the fire between them as their bodies fused as one. He nipped her bottom lip before ending their scorching kiss, his forehead pressed gently to hers as she breathed in his warm sweet breaths.

  “Fuck, April. Let’s get out of here before I strip you down and take you in the backseat of your car like a horny teenager.”

  Lust struck and aroused, April grazed her fingers over Decker’s stubbled jaw. She loved the way his brown eyes were practically black with desire—desire for her… her and no one else. “Deck, I’m not opposed to a backseat romp.” She sniggered. Hell it had been so damn long since she’d had sex, she wouldn’t be opposed to any kind of romp.

  Breaking their physical connection, Decker slowly shook his head once as he backed away from her vehicle. It appeared as if the common sense that she felt returning to her brain was quickly creeping into his as well. “No, beautiful. Not our first time together. Let me take you back to my condo so I can lay you out and savor every part of your delectable body the way you deserve—hell, the way I’ve been fantasizing about for months.”

  The kiss he blew her would have been cheesy had it come from anyone else, but from him—ahh… she wanted to grab it and tuck it away for later. Of course, she’d never do such an embarrassing thing. Even the thought was something she’d keep to herself. Instead, she closed her car door and rolled down the window.

  “I’ll see you in a few,” he called over his shoulder as he walked to his black Range Rover.

  Mmm, the view from behind is as delicious as from straight ahead, April thought as she spent an extra second admiring his tight ass. She shook her head to clear the mental haze she so frequently slipped into whenever Decker Brand ghosted into her thoughts which, frankly, happened more often these days. Still uncertain as to if she was ready to give more than just her body, a decision not made lightly, to another man, April decided to listen to some recently dispensed advice and, for the first time in a long time, just enjoy the damn moment. Excitement filled her Acura RDX as she twisted the keys into the ignition and brought the car to life.

  Just before pulling out of the parking lot, April checked her text messages. Only one new message awaited her attention. Tension immediately gripped her shoulders when she saw who the sender was. She practically never left her house other than for work or the gym. She never allowed herself time to be a woman, and now that she had, guilt threatened to consume her. Would Eli be jealous? Upset? She opened the message.

  Everything is fine here. Doesn’t even know you’re gone. Enjoy ~ A

  Exhaling, her shoulders slumped as the tension expelled. It was hard enough trying to make a relationship work when only two people were involved, but there were complications in their relationship that couldn’t be ignored, people they were trying to p
rotect, others they were trying to forget. She’d left her comfort zone tonight, and this was her reward—Decker. And oh, what a delicious reward it would be.

  After about a minute on the road, Real McCoy’s version of “Come and Get Your Love” filled the otherwise quiet cabin of April’s car. She giggled at the nineties song she and Rori had selected as a ring tone to represent Smokin’-Hot-Gym-Guy. Well, he was, in fact, smokin’ hot, and she felt her smile widen.

  “You missing me already?” April teased.

  “You have me on your hands-free device, right?” Decker asked by way of greeting. His familiar seriousness about this particular subject was present.

  “Yes, dear.” April smiled at the stern voice coming through the speaker. The man was an intoxicating blend of sexy and sweet, compassionate and considerate, domineering and delicious, and those were just the few layers she had seen so far. “So…why the call, Deck? Not that I’m complaining, but according to my GPS, it looks like we’re gonna be arriving at your place in just a few minutes.”

  “Yeah, we are,” he admitted. “And I can’t wait another minute to finally touch you—”

  “Well, big guy, it seems as though you’ll have to because—”

  April’s attempt at interruption was cut off when Decker continued to speak, his voice dipped low and smooth, like warm dark chocolate coating her cool, needy skin. “When we get up to my place, April, every hot kiss, every touch, every look we’ve shared up ‘til this point will be like a spark compared to the inferno I intend to unleash the moment I get my hands on you. Do you understand what I’m saying, beautiful? We are going to burn together, and I can’t fucking wait.”

  Her breath hitched as his seductive words caressed her. April removed one hand from the steering wheel and placed it on her bare thigh. Slowly, she inched her fingers up and down, allowing her thumb to tease but not breach the satiny edge of her panties. Goose bumps broke the surface of her skin. Her nipples tightened into sharp points, already sensitive as they rubbed against the lacy bra that cupped them. Her body was reacting to mere words spoken by a man too far away to touch her but close enough to unravel what had been tightly spun for too damn long. Holy shit, this is really gonna happen.

  “April, did you say something?” Decker’s voice came through the speaker, a smile evident in his tone.

  “Umm.” April pinched her upper leg, bringing a sting to where pleasure had been only seconds before. The man was a constant witness of her incessant silliness. “No, Deck, I was just, umm…” Think, April, the guy just told you he wants to fuck your brains out, and now you’re acting like an escaped patient from a psychiatric ward.

  Decker chuckled. The sound was sensual like the man himself. “Ah, are you having one of your little self-chats, as you like to call them?”

  April stayed silent. Had she not been driving, she’d have been pounding her head into the hardest surface she could find.

  “I told you, I think the concept is great. I’ve been doing a bit of it myself lately, and you’re right, it’s great to talk and not have anyone interrupt.”

  April took deep breaths. It amazed her how easy it was for Decker to calm her down. After only a couple short months of friendship, and okay, she could admit, some pretty serious lusting, he’d grown to have an important role in her life. He seemed so confident about her…them, but they had more to think about than just each other. Shaking her head, she forced herself to stay in the present. Looking to the future had gotten her nothing but trouble in the past.

  “We’re here.” His voice sounded different as it came through the speaker. His confidence from only moments before seemed a bit shaky. Was he nervous? “This is our place. Pull in the spot next to mine. I own them both.”

  The call ended, leaving April’s car completely silent. Exiting her vehicle, she craned her neck back to look at the tall (well, tall by suburban standards) apartment building before her. It was a newer place, probably only about five years old. She remembered when it was built. God, her life had been so different back then. Here and now, April, here and now, she reminded herself as strong fingers laced through her own, kicking her libido back into overdrive, where it seemed to stay whenever Decker Brand was near.

  * * *

  “CHRIST, APRIL, YOU Smell incredible.” Decker ran his nose up the column of April’s long, slender neck, inhaling the sweet scent of apples and cinnamon. The never-ending elevator ride to the top floor of the apartment building would be the death of him. “You’ve got the whole ‘apple for the teacher’ thing going. When I’m near you, I can’t decide if I want you to teach me a thing or two…” He sucked gently on her earlobe, taking pleasure in the way her breath hitched briefly. “Or if I wanna just take a bite out of you.” He nipped her lobe with his teeth, relishing the hiss that escaped her lips as he laved where he bit once more.

  “I think a little of both can be arranged,” April purred. “Don’t you think?” A blush crept up her cheeks. “Deck, I’m getting better at the sexy talk, right?” She giggled. “I never could have pulled off that cat noise when we first met.”

  Laughing, he pulled her close to his chest and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Oh, babe, you never needed any practice being sexy.” He guided her hand down the front of his pants, over his hardened length. “You do that to me just by being close. Hell, I get hard practically every time we talk on the phone. However, the naughty texts and that sweet little purr… yeah babe, there is no doubt it’s time I get you underneath me.” Just as he leaned in to take her lips, the elevator door slid open, spitting them out on the sixteenth floor.

  “To be continued.” April winked over her shoulder as she exited the car, and the simple gesture caused his heart to pump faster.

  Fueled by urgency and determination, he took one long stride and stood before her in the lavish hallway. The need to claim her lips overpowered his desire to get her into his apartment. He cupped her beautiful face in his hands and stroked her satiny cheeks with the roughened pads of his thumbs.

  “Have I told you lately how much I love the way your hands feel against my skin?”

  Her words caused a searing pain to lance through his gut, an icy splash of water quelling the fire that had been burning within him. Dropping his arms to his sides, Decker closed his eyes to keep the shame at bay and inhaled slowly. Fuck, my goddamn hands. ‘My skin is too fine for hands that rough,’ the memory screamed inside him. When he lifted his lids, there she stood—her brows furrowed, confusion clear in her eyes. But instead of allowing him to keep his distance, April stepped closer to him, her heat seeping from her body to his, her scent captivating his thoughts. She lifted his hands in her own and pressed them back against her soft cheeks.

  “Decker, your hands are strong.” She turned her lips to his left hand and placed a gentle kiss on his roughened palm. “They’re sturdy.” She kissed his right palm. “And they are the sign of a man who creates amazing things.” He stared into her bright green depths. “I can’t wait to finally have these hands all over my body.”

  Where has this woman been my whole life? “Ms. Maddox, you really have gotten damn good at the sweet talk, now haven’t you?” Without waiting for a response, he leaned down and captured her lips. When a soft moan escaped her, Decker knew it was past time to get them both in his place and in his bed. “Fuck,” he murmured while trying to casually adjust himself. “I can’t go in there looking like this.” He pointed at his tented pants. “She’ll know, and the poor girl will never sit for me again.”

  April giggled. “Sure, she will, Deck. She’s sixteen, and you’re hot. You know she brags to her friends when you call her to babysit. God, she probably sneaks into your bedroom and sniffs your cologne.”

  “Now that’s just creepy, April. Jeez, and people think teenage boys are bad.” Shaking his head, he laughed because April wasn’t wrong. He’d overheard a thing or two about how the girls in his building thought he was super-cute—their words, not his.

  * * *

&n
bsp; “THANK YOU, MR. BRAND.” The babysitter, Jessi, smiled sweetly, and slipped on her shoes as she gave him an account of the evening. “Charlie was a princess as usual. But she did complain of a tummyache around bedtime. I read her an extra story and rubbed her belly. That seemed to work, because she fell asleep before the second story was over.”

  “Hmm, okay.”

  April watched silently as Decker’s brows knitted together. She recognized that look. He was concerned but trying not to overreact. Charlie wasn’t necessarily a drama queen, but she was a six-year-old, so only time would tell if she was actually sick.

  “Well, you never know with that little one,” Decker continued. “She was fine earlier today at the park, so hopefully it was just a passing bellyache, and she’ll wake up perfect tomorrow.”

  “I sure hope so, Mr. Brand,” the babysitter cooed, smiling brightly as Decker pulled some bills out of his side pocket to pay her for her time.

  April pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, biting hard to keep from laughing. Could it be more obvious that this poor girl was crushing on Decker? She was proud that the teen was stringing together full sentences. At sixteen, April would have never been so collected in the face of all that beauty. The bitter taste of regret formed in the back of her throat as she remembered how she was at sixteen. Yeah, this girl was much better off.

  “Well, thank you for babysitting tonight, Jessi. As always, I really appreciate it.” Decker walked her out the door and into the hallway.

  April looked around the large open floor plan. The space was magnificent, clean, and perfect. Not pristine, not at all. It felt lived in by a man and his little girl, but it was still beautiful.

  “Oh, you’re so funny, Mr. Brand.”

  She heard Jessi giggle from the hallway. April felt her lips twitch. Decker was probably waiting for the elevator to come, and the teen loved the extra attention. So cute, she thought. I’m so gonna have to bust on him about that later.