Love Against Odds Volume One (Love Agaist Odds Book 10)

by Harbin, Mandy

  “You gonna tell me now where we’re going?” she asked to break the sexual silence.

  He blinked at her and smiled. “A steakhouse. Very nice. Great cuts of aged meat.”

  She gasped, horrified. “You want me to eat a moo cow? What next, you want me to eat a slaughtered chicken, or a gutted fish? Animals have souls, you know.”

  His face paled, and she couldn’t keep a straight face anymore. She burst out laughing. “Oh lord, you should see your face.”

  He growled but smiled. “That wasn’t funny. I was racking my brain, trying to remember if you’d avoided meat at the rehearsal dinner or the reception.”

  “Naw. I like meat. In fact, I like it better when it comes with a side of meat. And steaks? I like them bloody. Mmm.”

  He did laugh then. “You deserve to be spanked for that.”

  That sobered her quickly, and she looked away.

  “I was joking,” he said softly.

  She shrugged. She knew he was a Dom. Knew that people who were into that got off on pain. She didn’t find anything sexy about that.

  “Have you ever tried it?”

  She started, whipping her gaze to him. Had she said that out loud? “What?”

  “Anything kinky?”

  She looked away.

  And locked her sight on his lap.

  On his obvious erection.

  Swallowing, she looked away. Was it the conversation that had turned him on suddenly or had he been sporting wood this whole time? It was possible the latter was true. He had been stiff in other places moments ago.

  “I’m not interested in that,” she said instead of answering his question. She’d tried it once before, if trying meant she’d actually had a choice in the matter. It had been a painful nightmare. One she’d relieved in her dreams nightly for several months following it.

  She jumped when she felt his hand on hers. When she looked at him again, his eyes were soft. She expected him to say something, but instead, he focused back on the road, driving one-handed as he kept his other in hers. After a few minutes, she began to relax, the stress of the topic evaporating.

  “We’re here,” he said, and she glanced out the windshield. When he pulled his hand away to turn off the ignition, she took that cue to get out, not waiting for him to come open her door.

  “Should’ve let me do that,” he muttered when he meet her on the passenger side.

  “My arms aren’t broken.”

  “But this is a date.” He slipped his hand into hers again, intertwining their fingers. She liked when he held her hand. It made her feel … protected. Cherished. It was a feeling that was foreign to her, and one she didn’t know if could be trusted.

  Rather than spending the evening analyzing everything, she decided then and there to go with it, try to forget why she didn’t do this type of thing, and just make the most of it. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy the sense of femininity that surged through her from being in his presence. He’d been the only man to bring it out of her.

  Not that she’d keep indulging this feeling, but for tonight she could. What would it hurt? Tomorrow she could go back to being the cautious spinster encased in her walls of nunnery.

  “I have reservations for two. Name’s Cope,” Aaron said to the hostess, who smiled up at him and indicated that they should follow. Aaron held out a chair for her, and she blushed as she allowed him to seat her.

  “This place is nice,” Sasha said once he took the chair across from her.

  “It’s one of my favorites.”

  “Ahh, you bring a lot of dates here?” she asked, smirking as they opened their menus and began perusing.

  He chuckled. “I told you I don’t date much, so you don’t have to be jealous.”

  She scoffed. “I am not jealous.”

  “Oh, I think you are. I see a little green-eyed monster lurking beneath the surface over there.”

  She rolled her eyes, smiling. “My eyes are green. Get over yourself.”

  “If the color fits, baby.”

  She giggled despite herself, and the next two hours she found herself doing just that several times. Aaron was definitely a charmer. She should hate him for that alone, but her taut nipples and needy pussy hadn’t gotten that memo. He turned her on in ways she’d never experienced before, and the sad thing was he wasn’t even trying to do that. Oh sure, he touched her hand, played with her hair, and sweet talked throughout the night, but hell, he could’ve been reciting the dictionary, and he’d still ooze sex appeal. The man was the complete package, and seriously had Sasha rethinking her stance on avoiding all things with a penis.

  Jesus, just the thought of that particular organ got her even hotter.

  When Aaron leaned in, she shivered. “Woman, if you don’t stop getting that look, I’m not going to make it back to your place before I strip you bare and lick every inch of your body.”

  “What look?” she asked because she didn’t know how else to respond.

  “Like you want to eat me alive, too.”

  “I— ”

  “Here you are, sir,” their waitress announced when she placed the bill on the table.

  Aaron glanced at her, and Sasha was thrilled that the heat in his eyes disappeared as he looked at the young, attractive woman, and thanked her. When he looked at Sasha again, the erotic gaze filled with sexual need was back.

  He watched her as he dug out his wallet and palmed a card. He lifted it and the ticket in the air, the waitress came back and took it, and he stayed fixated on Sasha the entire time.

  When his brow furrowed, confusion set in. He seemed to be concentrating on something, and she wanted to ask what. She didn’t have to.

  “There’s an Italian restaurant I want to take you to. The sausage they use in their sauce is the best I’ve ever had. Since you don’t have an aversion to meat,” he smiled, “I think you’d really like it.”

  He was asking her out on another date? But she’d already agreed this would be a one-time thing. It was the only reason she’d felt comfortable letting go and just enjoying the night with him. If she had to do it again, she’d have never let her guard down.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Why?” he asked softly, without missing a beat.

  “I don’t date, remember.”

  “I think you can make an exception for me.”

  “I said no,” she said firmly, looking up at him. His jaw ticked, but the waitress returned with his card and receipt, so it saved her from hearing an immediate reply. He quickly signed the slip and palmed his card.

  Sasha stood and clutched her bag, indicating she was ready to leave.

  He looked up at her without saying anything. With each passing second, she felt more and more exposed under his scrutiny. Why did this man affect her so much?

  Nodding slowly, he stood and took her hand. She gently tried pulling it out of his grasp, but his fingers tightened. Not wanting to cause a scene, she let him escort her out of the restaurant and into his vehicle.

  The ride back to her temporary home was filled with silence, and not the romantically charged kind as before. The ironic thing was she knew she’d made him mad by rejecting him so bluntly, but she didn’t fear his reaction. It was a relief to know that Dwight hadn’t completely screwed her up, but that was the only good thing to come out of this date. As for being near Aaron like this, it had been a huge mistake. He obviously wanted more from her, and she wasn’t ready to give it to him. To any man.

  When he pulled up beside the house, Sasha glanced up before looking at him, then she gasped and yanked her head around to stare at the window to the right of the front door.

  Light shone through.

  Had someone been in the house? Was someone still in there?

  She took a shaky breath. That was the window in Cassie’s room. Sasha had probably forgotten to turn it off when she’d gone in there to get some clothes. She was probably just overreacting.

  “What’s wrong?” Aaron said, grabbing
her arm. She swallowed, still looking at the house. “There’s a light on in there. I-I just probably forgot to turn it off,” she muttered, more to make herself believe it. Or to will it to be true. Oh god, what if someone was in there?

  “Give me the keys,” Aaron said, brooking no argument as he turned off his SUV and pocketed his own keys.

  She opened her purse, and asked, “Why don’t you have your own key?” She wasn’t sure why she’d asked. It was nerves, she knew, that had her rambling. “He’s your brother, and you never know when you’re going to need access to his place,” she continued.

  “I did have one. I gave it to Cassie,” he said matter-of-factly as he exited. “Stay here and lock the doors.” He shut the door before she had a chance to argue. Deep down, she knew she was overreacting to the situation. She’d been trying to mentally talk some sense into herself when Aaron got all controlling. Protective.

  Damn hot and sexy.

  Grrr. The man was a menace to her libido.

  Deciding she wasn’t going to sit there and wait for him to confirm she’d been acting silly, she got out and headed to the door. When she reached it, self-preservation kicked back in, and instead of barreling through the door, she peeked around it instead. Aaron was coming out of the kitchen when he saw her, and he froze, balling his fists.

  “I told you to stay in the car.”

  “Is the coast clear?”

  She watched as he gritted his teeth before giving her a quick nod. Her shoulders relaxed at his confirmation, and she slipped the rest of the way into the house and shut the door behind her.

  “I figured I’d left that light on.”

  “Didn’t seem like you’d assumed that to me,” he said, stalking toward her.

  She took a step back, and he continued to advance. When her back hit the wall beside the television, she knew she had nowhere else to go.

  And he kept coming toward her. Slowly.

  “I, er, I panicked, yes, but it was instinct. After a few seconds, rational thought came back.”

  His arms bracketed her head as he leaned in so closely that he was just a hair’s breadth from touching her all over. “Why is that your instinct?”

  “Um, I’m a single woman?” She’d meant for it to come out as a statement, not a question.

  “You were scared. Not all single women react like that.”

  “I’m not all single women.”

  His nose trailed up her cheek as he inhaled. “No. No, you’re not.”

  He pressed up against her, and she slapped her hands on his—tight, muscular—chest. She’d had every intention of pushing him away, but instead, her palms lingered as the fight left her.

  “Aaron,” she breathed, not sure what she was going to say.

  He groaned and slammed his mouth to hers. She squeaked, but shock quickly morphed into raw hunger as his tongue demanded entry and she succumbed to her needs. His kiss was rough, powerful, and all she could do was hold onto him as he plundered her mouth, taking what he wanted, and she freely gave it to him. His hands sank into her hair, and she rose up on her toes to get closer. She fisted his shirt, trying to pull him nearer, but he was already touching her everywhere. She moaned and wrapped her leg around his, and the sound she made seemed to set him off. He growled and grabbed her thighs, yanking her up and against the wall. She could do nothing but wrap her legs around him, bringing her center right against the ridge of his cock. She moved, rubbing herself against him, and he tore his mouth away, panting as he stared down at her.

  “Tell me I can have you.” It wasn’t phrased as a question, but she knew it was his way of gaining her permission. She knew she should stop him now because if she didn’t there’d be no going back, but she couldn’t bring herself to act rationally. No, right now, she was too needy and Aaron was too sexy for her to be reasonable with her body. Her heart.

  She licked her lips, trying to find the words, and he watched her movement like the hawk that he was.

  “I’m two seconds away from taking your mouth again. Object now, or don’t at all.”

  She swallowed, but still couldn’t find her voice. Instead she tilted her head and leaned in to kiss him. His eyes did this sexy roll back thing and his lips parted when he realized what she intended to do. He let her brush her lips against his before taking the control back. He fisted her hair and angled her for deeper penetration, and what he did with his tongue mimicked what she wanted him to do to the rest of her. She slipped her hands around his neck and rubbed his head as she thrust her hips against him. His mouth moved down her neck and she gasped air into her starved lungs. She whimpered his name as his lips moved up to ear.

  “I’m going to spread you out and fuck you all night.” He pushed into her, moving against her like he was already fucking her, and she loved it. God, she was so turned on, so wet, that she should be embarrassed, but all she managed to do was grind against him, too. Then they were moving, and he grabbed her ass to hold her up while encouraging her to continue her ministrations. When her back hit the bed, she opened her eyes and looked up. The look in his eyes spoke of promises she hadn’t realized she’d ever wanted made. Not until this moment. He unbuttoned his shirt, all the while never taking his eyes off her. When he pulled it off, she moaned at all the sinewy muscles displayed. Aaron wasn’t bulky, but he was tall, tight, and fit. He was big enough to be intimidating and sexy, but there was just something about him that kept her from succumbing to any terror at the thought of all the strength he housed. He kicked off his shoes before reaching for hers and slipping them off.

  He kissed the tops of her feet, and she trembled and had to look away from what he was doing to her.

  Making her feel.

  Beyond the physical.

  His lips moved up her leg and he paid special attention to the sensitive area behind her knee. It almost tickled, but not quite. When he finished laving the area, he continued his trek up her body, his hands slipping under the hem of her dress. Her trembling grew more intense, but he seemed to ignore her nerves as he pushed up her pilfered outfit.

  “Lift your hips, baby,” he breathed against her inner thigh, and her butt lifted at his whispered command. Once the dress was pushed toward her breasts, he crawled onto the bed, one knee between her legs, and gently lifted her into a seated position. He pulled the one-piece free of her body, and before she had a chance to cover her newly exposed bra, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again, pushing her back against the bed, laying her flat beneath him. His kiss was so powerful and he was just … all over. His arms surrounded her. His legs caged her. His penis expertly rubbed her silk-covered flesh.

  And she wanted more.

  Her hands drifted down his back and over his ass. She grabbed him there and tugged him tighter against her as she pushed up and harder into him.

  “Fuck,” he breathed and began dry humping her. His kiss grew mindless. She was lost in the moment, not caring what was happening … except she knew she didn’t want it to stop. Not yet.

  He fumbled at her back, and the next thing she knew her bra was loose. He tore it away and lunged for her breast, sealing it in the warm heat of his mouth. Her back arched closer, and her hands flew to his head to hold him to her. He growled when one of her legs hitched higher up his side, spreading her wider for him. When he released her nipple, she started to protest the loss, but he quickly found the other and gave it the same attention as the first. She moaned and writhed beneath him, needing more, so much more, but couldn’t find the words to ask. When his hand eased down her abdomen and slipped into the top of her panties, she breathed, “Yes.”

  “Oh fuck, you’re so damn wet.” His finger grazed over her nether lips, and she instinctively thrust up for deeper contact. She got what she wanted, but it only lasted a split second before his hand was gone.

  “No,” she groaned.

  “Not going anywhere,” he ground out just before he grabbed the side of her panties and ripped them. She gasped at the suddenness and watched as he tossed
the tattered remnants aside. She didn’t have time to comprehend what’d just happened because in the next instant, he buried his face between her legs, and she forgot her name, much less any thought process she’d tried to form moments ago.

  She was mumbling something, maybe even chanting his name, but she couldn’t be sure. She climbed higher and higher with every passing second, knowing she was almost to the point of no return. She was going to come, and she knew it was going to be the best orgasm of her life.

  “So wet. So sweet. Fuck, Sasha.” He pushed a finger into her then and circled his lips over her clit. When he batted it rapidly with his tongue and fucked her with his finger, she let go and screamed as stars blinded her. She didn’t know how long she came, but it felt endless as he continued to work her, drawing out as much as he could. When she finally began to come down, he slipped free, and she shivered in the aftereffects. She heard something as he shifted away but couldn’t pry her eyes open to look.

  Then he was over her again, spreading her wider. “Look at me.”

  Her compliance was immediate, and she discovered that the noise she’d heard was him ridding himself of the rest of his clothes. He reached down, and then she felt the evidence of the other actions he’d just completed. His latex covered erection rubbed against her core as he guided himself to her entry.

  “You and me. Just you and me, baby,” he breathed. She opened her mouth to reply when he began pushing in, and whatever she was going to say turned into a gasp.

  “Fuck, but you’re tight. Feels so good.” She wrapped her legs around him and he pushed home.

  I haven’t had sex in over half a year, and why? God, he felt amazing!

  “Make me feel it,” she murmured.

  He groaned and pulled out most of the way before slamming back into her.

  And they were both lost.

  Time ceased to exist for Sasha as she could do nothing but feel this man making love, no, fucking her. He plowed into her so hard that the headboard banged against the wall with every thrust. They kissed, groped, licked, even bit each other as their hands roamed and bodies mated in the dance as old as time. She’d never experienced a coupling like this before. It was hot, raw, sweaty, primal, and she didn’t want it to end.