Love Me Deadly

by Linda Verji

  “Reggie,” Erica murmured. Afraid he’d awakened her, his gaze jerked to her face. She was still asleep. She rubbed her palm across his chest before sighing again as if satisfied and tucking her head deeper into the crook of his shoulders.

  Had he done the right thing by denying her tonight?

  He wasn’t sure. He wanted sex with Erica, and a relationship more. It seemed he’d tanked his chance for either. No, he wouldn’t allow whatever was brewing between them to die. Tomorrow, they’d talk, and he’d convince her curbing their desire until she was ready for more was the right thing to do.

  He drifted back to sleep.

  When his awareness snaked back next, it was morning. Muted rays of light pricked at his eyes behind the still closed drapes. For a moment he stared at the ceiling trying to focus but was startled into complete wakefulness by rustling sounds beside the bed. He turned his head to find Erica standing by the bed. She was still in her night shirt and arranging clothes in the open suitcase lying on the bed.

  “Good…” He cleared his throat. “…good morning.”

  “Morning.” She turned to face him with a smile. He was relieved to note that the smile reached her eyes. She asked, “Did you sleep well?”

  “Yeah.” He sat up. “Who wouldn’t, with company like yours?”

  His words had the opposite of the intended result. Her smile dimmed and when she spoke again, her tone was brisk and businesslike. “My flight’s at one. When’s yours?”

  “Three.” He pushed the covers away from his body then stood and stretched.

  It didn’t click that he was only wearing boxers until her gaze flickered down his chest to linger on his morning wood before she turned her eyes away. “Do you think we can get one together?”

  Glad she wanted to even be in the same plane with him, he said, “I’ll try. What flight are you on?”

  While she finished packing, he trudged to the bathroom and handled his hygiene. By the time he came back into the room, she’d changed out of her shirt and was now wrapped in a towel. As she showered he called the airline. It took a few negotiations and pushing their leaving time to a later time, but he managed to get them a flight.

  “We’ve got a six p.m.,” he informed her when she came out of the bathroom. “Is that okay?”

  “Yeah, sure.” She stood at the door, the steam from the bathroom pouring out behind her as she patted her neck and chest with the towel. “That’s okay.”

  “Are we okay?”

  “Yeah, we’re fine,” she said but how she avoided his gaze said she wasn’t being a hundred percent truthful.

  He stood and stepped closer to her. Her gaze met his steadily, but she flinched when he cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry.”

  She said nothing but when he dipped his head to kiss her, she abruptly lowered her head offering him her hair instead. He stared at her bowed head in silence before rubbing his thumb over her chin and tilting it upwards. “Erica, don’t shut me out.”

  “I get it.” She looked up at him then revealing the moisture shimmering in her eyes. “Unless you get a relationship, you won’t sleep with me.”Her breath hitched in her throat. “And all I want is sex. I don’t want a relationship. So please stop kissing and touching me and offering me something I can’t take…”

  The last thing he wanted was to make her cry. He lowered his hand to her wrist guiding her towards the bed, before settling on it with her on his lap. “Erica, why can’t you have a relationship?”

  Erica didn’t answer. She folded her hands on her toweled lap as if trying to avoid touching him.

  Reggie reached for her hand and interlocked their fingers as he asked, “What are you afraid of, Baby?”

  “You’re going cheat.” Her words were just a mutter, but he heard them.

  Searching her bent form with his gaze, he asked, “Why would you assume that?”

  “You’re a man.”

  Reggie should’ve been insulted that she’d group him in the cheater category just for having a dick, but he understood where she was coming from. Softening his voice further, he said, “All men aren’t Quin”

  She lifted her head and her gaze met his. In her eyes he saw the disbelief.

  “I’m not Quin,” he enunciated.

  CHAPTER 11

  He wasn’t Quin.

  That didn’t mean he wouldn’t break her heart. In fact something told her that if she let Reggie too close, he’d hurt her even worse than Quin had. She’d barely survived what Quin and Brooklyn had done to her and she was sure she couldn’t do it again.

  No! She couldn’t give Reggie the relationship he wanted.

  Erica broke the silence that had eclipsed the room with a soft, “Reggie, I don’t think we can be friends anymore.”

  “What?”

  “We can’t be friends anymore.” Even as she said the words, tears clogged her throat. She tried to rise, but Reggie had a firm hand around her waist. She settled for burying her face in her hands to block her tears from falling.

  “No.” Reggie peeled her hand away from her face. His expression solemn, he shook his head. “You’re not going to do this. You’re not giving up on us because you’re scared.”

  “I know I agreed that we would only be friends.” She turned her face away from him. Her blurry gaze, focusing on the bathroom door, she chocked out, “But I can’t anymore. I’m sorry, Reggie.”

  Reggie turned her face towards him. “At least tell me why.”

  “Because it hurts too much.” Her voice rose, a thick thread of frustration now running in her words. “I spend my nights dreaming of you. When the phone rings, I pray it’s you calling. When I sleep at night, I wish you were here to hold me. I don’t want to be just friends with you.”

  Through the whole diatribe, Reggie said nothing. He watched her in contemplative silence before saying, “I don’t want to be just friends either.”

  Her heart plunged with his response, distressed that he wouldn’t fight for her. “So you agree that we should stop being friends?”

  “That’s not what I said.” His mouth curved upwards. “I said I don’t want to be just friends either.”

  Finding nothing funny in their conversation, Erica huffed, “Then what do you m-”

  Before she finished the sentence his mouth met hers leaving her in a state of disbelief that this was happening, her mouth remained closed in motionless shock even as he teased her lips, coaxing them apart with unhurried passion.

  What did this mean?

  Had he quit asking her for a relationship or was this another session of teasing?

  She opened her mouth to question him, but the parting of her lips was just what he needed, and he plunged in. The moment his tongue touched hers, she was putty in his hands. Grasping his upper arm, she tilted her head to accept his kiss.

  The sensuality of his lips on hers stoked the fire building in her until all she could think of was him. She didn’t even realize he’d unknotted her towel until the cool air fluttered over her skin. Before the cold could bite, he chased it away with the heat of his hand on her breast.

  She arched into his arms as a desirous whimper built in her throat. Reggie swallowed it even as he tweaked her nipple, sending painful shards of roaring lust through her body. The pebbling bud came alive with his practiced strokes and fondles. Reggie’s curious touch had her shifting with need in his lap. Her naked thigh brushed against his erect dick. She pressed harder against the large bulge and he groaned.

  “Erica,” he pleaded as he released her full mound and lowered his hand between their bodies. This time it was she who groaned when he eased one finger between her feminine folds and zeroed in on her clit. When he began to flick and tease, her groans turned into mews of desire. Unable to bear it anymore, she tore her mouth away from his and tucked her face into the crook of his neck. But he wasn’t done with her yet. She jerked in his arms when he pressed one thick, long digit into her.

  “Aaah,” she whimpered as she clung to his wrist, afraid to l
et him have his way with her, but afraid to let him go.

  “You like that?” Reggie murmured as he sunk his finger deeper into her, his voice dripping sensuality.

  “More,” she moaned when he withdrew then pushed his finger into her again. Every nerve in Erica’s body flared and tightened.

  “More?” he asked.

  “More.” She arched when he added a second finger into play. In an open mouthed gasp, she turned her face upwards to find him watching her reaction.

  His dark eyes held her spell bound. Those intense, beautiful, dark fringed eyes delved into hers and were as seductive as the motion of his fingers playing her. She watched, enthralled as he lowered his head and his lips fell on hers once more. His thumbs slicked over her clit, while his fingers danced inside her in rhythm to the warm sensual thrust of his tongue.

  The joint action of his fingers and his tongue against hers was too much for Erica. Heat coiled inside her, stoking the fever burning up her senses. Her fingers dug into his wrist as hr frenzy grew, and grew, until she burst into flames.

  “Reggie.” She spiraled into nirvana with his name on her lips.

  Even before the incredible bliss faded, her world shifted again. When she opened her eyes she found herself facing Reggie. Somehow he’d swung her around to straddle his lap.

  The look in his eyes was intense, awakening nerves that should’ve been satiated.

  Erica licked her dry lips and tried to find her voice. “Reggie, what does this mean?”

  “I’m giving you what you want.” He shuffled her closer to his body until her breasts were cradled against his naked chest and her pussy was right on top of his cock. His boxers were no barrier, and he pressed against her, long, hard and wanting. “But I want you to promise me one thing.”

  “What?” she gasped the word even as she instinctively moved on his still clothed cock.

  He felt so good.

  He squeezed his eyes shut as if in pain. When he spoke his words were a hoarse murmur. “Promise me you’ll think about it.”

  His words barely penetrated the haze of desire that had eclipsed her. His hard length brushed over her with each seductive movement she made, lighting up her body and once again igniting embers on the verge of cooling. Biting her lower lip, she puffed out, “Okay.”

  “And that when you’re ready-” His breath hitched when her gyrations exposed his cock to the open air. They both moaned when his naked flesh rubbed against hers, but determined to finish their conversation, Reggie continued, “-that I’ll be the one you think of.”

  “Okay.” Erica wasn’t even sure what she’d promised. All she knew was she wanted Reggie. Badly! She eased her hand from his neck to his muscular chest. She shifted to create space between their upper bodied then eased her hand between them to touch him.

  He opened his eyes at her touch, his head lowering to watch what she was doing. She followed his gazes enjoying the slight contrast between their skin tones, but loving the way his tool was so hot, hard and long. She firmed her hand over him in a slow downward then upward stroke.

  “Erica.” He pushed his length into the tight ring her fingers had formed around him. She coated his silky, heated length with his own pre-cum stroking him up and down. His voice was strangled as he said, “Don’t play me like that.”

  “Why not?” She shifted closer to his body until the spongy head of his length scraped against her heat. “You’ve been playing with m… Aaaaah,” she moaned when she rubbed him against her sensitized bundle of nerves.

  “Shit,” Reggie groaned as his arms tightened around her, slamming her hard against his body. His motion had the effect of pushing the tip of his cock inside her.

  When he tried to shift her back to the bed, she tightened her arms around his neck in protest, “No.”

  He explained with small kisses. “I need…” Kiss. “… to get…” Kiss. “… protection.”

  “In my suitcase’s side-pocket,” She hurried him but didn’t let go of him.

  He turned to reach towards her suitcase but then stopped midway and swiveled back to face her. His eyes narrowed. “What are you carrying rubbers for? You didn’t know I was coming.”

  She ignored his question, instead reaching for the suitcase’s side-pocket and extracting a small packet. Carrying condoms was something she’d always done. She didn’t want another unintended pregnancy. The first one had been too painful.

  She waved the little package at Reggie. “Are we doing this or not?”

  After one last hesitant look at her, he made short work of strapping up. With a quick flip, he set her on the bed on her back. Bending over her, he bracketed her between his arms as his tip danced at her entrance. “You ready?”

  “Ye-” Her words disappeared in a shocked gasp as he pushed in.

  “Fuck.”

  She wasn’t ready.

  “Oooh.” They both moaned as the dance began. Reggie slammed his mouth over hers as he pushed his cock into her. His entrance seemed never ending. It went on and on and on. There was so much of him; thick, long and hard. Her walls sucked in every piece of he was willing to give her. He dragged out the process, letting his rod brush against every nerve inside her as he sunk into her inch by inch.

  His breath kissed her lips. “Is this what you want?”

  “Reg…” Erica inhaled a sharp breath waiting for the never-ending fullness to stop. It was only when his pelvis was fully settled against hers that she released her breath. He was so deep inside her it seemed he was in her skull.

  When he began to withdraw, she clamped around him in protest, but then he slammed back inside her. Hard. She screamed, and he growled, “Is this what you need?”

  “Too mu-”She tried to push him away.

  Too much!

  Too deep!

  She’d underestimated him. He was killing her. He wouldn’t let her back out now that she’d pushed him to the edge. His arm eased behind her neck while he fit the other beneath her ass, holding her captive. With another withdrawal and another slam into her dripping heat, he forced her on a journey of desire so intense she wasn’t sure she’d survive it..

  “Reggie, stop,” she whined when he thrust in again.

  “Uh uh.” He shook his head, his eyes hooded as he dragged out another withdrawal, then forcefully plunged into her. “You wanted it, so take it.”

  “Ssss.” She clawed at his back as he taunted her with each entrance. She wanted to spit him out, but each time he drove in her walls clamped around him reluctant to let him go. Her hips rose off the bed of their own volition to meet each long, hard stroke.

  “That’s it,” Reggie soothed as he stroked in and out of her. “Open up for me.”

  “Oh. Oh. Oh.” She writhed beneath him. Their moans and groans filled the room as they moved as one. Erica clawed at his shoulders and back, as he set a frenzied rhythm within her. For each slow and long stroke, she met him. For each short and fast one, she followed him. Short. Long. Fast. Slow.

  The erotic motion was never-ending as Reggie drove Erica once more into completion. That bright starburst splintered inside her. Her thighs trembled as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her. He pounded into her, faster and faster, until finally he too tumbled over the edge.

  He lay over her, suspended in repletion, his head tucked into the crook of her shoulder as he sucked in short, quick breaths. She brushed her hands over his sweat slicked back easing him back to earth.

  When he could breathe again, he lifted his head and pressed a small kiss to her forehead. “Thank you.”

  “I should be the one thanking you.” She stroked his brow, her body exhausted from his less than gentle lovemaking. “You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for that.”

  “Just don’t forget your promise,” he said with a kiss on her lips.

  “What… what did she say about the gifts?” Brooklyn asked Kendra.

  “She only called me about mine. She said nothing about yours.” Kendra adjusted her sunglasses and looked aro
und the outer courtyard of the crowded restaurant. Around them people chatted and glasses clinked as the lunchtime crowd settled in. Her voice was weary as she added, “You need to give her more time.”

  “How long? She hasn’t spoken to me in almost three months.” Brooklyn speared her fork through her salad. Actually, it was two months, three weeks, four days since Erica had spoken to her. By now, she should’ve gotten over everything that had happened. “Maybe I should come to the house and talk to her.”

  Shaking her head, Kendra bit into her chicken sandwich. “Not unless you want your ass handed to you.”

  Brooklyn turned her face away, her upper lip lifted in a sneer as bile filled her throat at the pungent odor of mustard. The moment she’d met Erica, Brooklyn knew she had to lose weight if she wanted to be perfect too. Usually she’d looking at the sandwich longingly and wishing she had Kendra’s metabolism. But, for the last few weeks, she’d been unable to look at many foods without gagging. Brooklyn saw it a good thing. Obviously her body had come up with its own weight loss system.

  Kendra’s phone rang. Setting the sandwich onto her plate and wiping her fingers on a serviette, she reached for it, swiped her finger over its face before reading a message.

  “Is that her?” Brooklyn asked.

  “No. Reggie,” Kendra answered as her gaze ran over the words. “He wants me to go pick them up from the airport in the evening.”

  “Them?”

  “Yeah, he and Erica.” Kendra didn’t look up as she flipped through her phone. “He went to the Hamptons to see her.” Had she looked up, she would’ve caught Brooklyn’s shocked expression.

  What was Erica doing with Reggie? She was in love with Quin. Quin was her dream man. Arranging her face into a noncommittal mask, Brooklyn asked, “So Erica and Reggie are now a couple or something?”

  “I don’t know.” Kendra shrugged. “I’m just glad she’s over that Quin.”

  “Oh.” Brooklyn lowered her gaze to hide the confused thoughts racing through her mind as she stabbed at the bed of vegetables on her plate. Erica couldn’t be over Quin. Quin was the perfect guy for Erica, and her.

  Unless… unless Reggie was better than Quin.