by Jaci Burton
“Ow, dammit!”
She pivoted and directed a palm strike, stopping just shy of his nose. He hadn’t expected it, and he reared back. She also caught the shocked look on his face.
“Really?” he asked.
She shrugged. “The next step would have been to break your nose. Still don’t think I have it in me to defend myself?”
“My damn foot hurts.”
“That’s the idea.”
“Okay, you took self-defense classes.”
She nodded. “Several. I wanted to be able to take care of myself.”
“I’d say you can do that just fine. Also, my foot still hurts.”
She looked down at his feet. He was wearing tennis shoes, and she hadn’t stomped with all her might. “You’ll live.”
“You’re mean.”
She laughed. “I can be. But you doubted my ability to defend myself.”
He started to say something, then stopped and looked at her. “You’re right. I was wrong. You’re a badass, Hannah Clark. I should have remembered that from the time you threw rocks at me when you thought I was cheating on you with Penny Fairbanks junior year.”
She blinked, then laughed. “I’d totally forgotten about that. I did throw rocks at you behind the school. I was so pissed at you.”
He pointed to his chest. “At me? It was Penny who was flirting with me, trying to break us up. And when that didn’t work, Penny told you that I asked her out, when in fact I never did that, would never do that. And what did you do? Did you come to me and ask me if it was true? No, you didn’t. You threw rocks at me instead.”
It hadn’t been her finest moment. “I apologized, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, after about the twentieth rock, when I finally convinced you I never asked her out. Those rocks hurt, by the way.”
“But did you die?”
He rolled his eyes. “No, I didn’t. And you have trust issues, Hannah.”
He was so right about that. “I can’t help it. Besides, Penny Fairbanks was beautiful. Smart. And popular. Who wouldn’t want to go out with her?”
“Me. I didn’t want to go out with her. I had you. Plus, you are beautiful, and smart, and everything I wanted. I wasn’t in love with Penny Fairbanks.”
Her heart did a little jump. “Point taken.” She stepped toward him and wound her fingers around his neck, nestling her body against his. “Maybe it’s time you forgive me for the rock throwing.”
“You hurt my foot.”
“Poor baby. Maybe I could help you forget about your foot.”
She lifted up on her toes, drawing his lips to hers.
It was a fiery-hot kiss, no preliminaries, nothing soft about the way his mouth claimed hers so deeply, the way his tongue dived in to tease and flick and make her breath come in gasps. She fisted a handful of his shirt to pull him nearer to her, as if by holding on to a part of him she could draw in his scent, could feel the skin-to-skin contact she craved.
He grabbed on to her butt and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around him and held on while he carried her up the steps. They stopped at the landing. He pushed her against the wall, his cock grinding against her pussy. She wanted to hold him there—right there—until she came in a blistering orgasm that made her scream.
“We might not make it to my room,” he said, his voice tight.
“I don’t care. Just make me come, Kal.”
His mouth met hers again in a feverish kiss that made her blood run hot. His hands seemed to be everywhere—on her stomach, on her breast, grabbing her butt so he could pull her close and grind against her, making her head bang softly against the wall because it felt so damn good.
And then he slipped his hand inside her pants to cup her sex and she thought she might explode from the heat of his fingers teasing her clit and dipping lower to slide inside of her pussy. He rubbed and fingered her until she rolled against his hand in search of the orgasm that was hovering just on the brink of explosion.
He flicked his tongue against hers, nibbled at her lips, whispering to her in that dark, sexy voice of his.
“After you come I’m gonna get you naked and eat your pussy until you scream for me.”
She was breathing so hard she was getting light-headed, the sensations swirling around her so strong she half thought she was going to die. But this would be the best death, because her climax burst and she cried out, rocking against his hand in uncontrollable spasms that left her weak and spent in his arms.
He picked her up and carried her the rest of the way to his room, laid her on the bed and stripped off her clothes while she lay there like an overcooked noodle, unable to move.
“You’ve killed me,” she said.
He gave her a half smile. “Not yet. We haven’t even started.”
After she was naked, he took off his clothes, and she couldn’t help but admire his body as she did every time she was alone with him. He went into the bathroom for a second and came back with a condom packet, tossed it on the table next to his bed, then climbed in next to her and pushed her onto her back.
“What did I say I was gonna do to you?” he asked.
“Oh, right.” She stretched, feeling the pull in her muscles that had tightened during her epic orgasm. “Maybe I could get my heart rate back to a nonlethal level first?”
He swept his hand over her breasts, teasing the nipples to a sharp, tight point before bending to suck one tip into his mouth, causing her to gasp as pleasure shot straight to her core.
He lifted his head and smiled at her.
“Cardio’s good for you.”
Her heart rate started pulsing. “This kind of cardio might kill me.”
He continued to smooth his hand over her body, snaking his fingers over her belly and lower until he once again cupped her sex. This time his movements were slow and easy, lulling her into a dreamlike state where there was only pleasure, only the feel of his fingers gliding over her slickened sex.
He eased down her body and spread her legs, replacing his fingers with his mouth, and that easy, dreamlike state heightened into gasping intensity. His tongue was hot and wet, rolling over her like he was well familiar with the map of her body and knew exactly where he wanted to go. All she had to do was hold on for the erotic ride.
But holding on wasn’t going to be easy, because he had her right there, hanging off a cliff and ready to plunge into the fires of ecstasy. All she had to do was fall.
She fell, losing control of her senses, feeling only the thrilling pleasure of soaring through her climax. Kal held on to her while she shuddered and rolled through the most magnificent sensations until she felt as if she were floating.
Then he was right there, pulling her to face him, his cock sliding into her while she was still pulsing from her orgasm.
“You haven’t screamed my name yet,” he said, withdrawing and easing back into her, making her take a breath. It was as if every sensation was heightened. When she didn’t think she could feel anything after those two mind-blistering orgasms, he had her rising again, climbing again, ready to take that plunge one more time.
“I never scream.”
“We’ll see.”
He rocked against her, ground against her, and her body heated with every stroke. He swept her sweat-soaked hair away from her neck and licked her skin, possessing her in a way she’d never been possessed before, taking her mouth in a deep, soulful kiss that felt less like sex and more as if he were trying to tell her without words that she belonged to him, and that he belonged to her, that they were forging some kind of bond together with every movement they made.
Or maybe this was all some fantasy concocted by her sex-soaked brain, and it all just felt like she was on another level with him in this moment because he’d wrung everything out of her.
But then he pushed her onto her back and made eye contact w
ith her as he moved within her. And the way he looked at her, his eyes so clear, the emotion so present, she was sure it wasn’t a fantasy, and she was certain what she felt was way more than sex.
He grasped her hand as he began to drive harder, and she lost all sense of reality. All she could think about was reaching the climax. And when it hit, she didn’t close her eyes or bury her face in his shoulder. She kept focus on his face, letting him see what he’d done to her, letting him see how she felt in the moment. And when he came, he looked at her and she could swear he’d bared everything to her right then.
It was a heart-hitting power she’d never experienced before, something she felt deep in her soul.
It had been magical.
Kal collapsed on top of her and rolled over, pulling her next to him. He caressed her hair, stroked her back and kissed her face for the longest time. It was as if he had felt the same kind of power that she had felt in their lovemaking.
Or, maybe, just maybe, she had made it all up in her head and it had meant nothing at all, that it had just been sex. All she knew was she wanted to stay like this—with him—for as long as they could. And since Kal didn’t seem to be in any hurry to disengage, she was content.
But finally, he got up and went into the bathroom to dispose of the condom. When he came back, he stood at the side of the bed.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m sweaty.”
She smiled. “Me, too.”
“Shower?” He held out his hand.
She took his hand, and he helped her out of the bed. “Sounds like a great idea.”
She followed him into the bathroom and waited while the shower warmed up. Kal looked over at her and gave her his usual sexy half smile.
Everything was back to normal, as if what she’d thought was some momentous thing hadn’t happened.
She supposed it had been just sex. Maybe what she’d thought was an extraordinary moment hadn’t been anything at all.
Which was probably a good thing, because this wasn’t the right time in her life to fall in love anyway.
After she’d had that long talk with herself tonight about using logic and not emotion, after one excellent night of sex, she’d allowed emotion to enter the picture.
Just how dumb are you, Hannah?
Pretty dumb, obviously. Time to right the ship again and let logic take over.
She was in this for fun. Not love. Fun. And only fun. She was going to keep reminding herself of that until it sank in.
“You coming in or are you going to hang out in the bathroom all night being sweaty?” Kal asked.
She took a deep breath and answered. “I’m coming in.”
But she was going in with her logic armor firmly covering her heart.
She stepped into the shower with him.
CHAPTER 19
Kal came out of the bathroom and stared down at the hot, sexy woman asleep in his bed.
It took some convincing, but he’d gotten Hannah to agree to spend the night with him last night.
She’d been tired, and frankly so had he. Since they were both off work today, it made sense for her to spend the night. She’d talked to her mom, who said she could take Oliver to school this morning, and Hannah would pick him up after.
Which meant they could spend at least part of the day together.
He tossed on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, then went downstairs to grab a cup of coffee. Jackson and Becks were already dressed and down there.
“Where are you two headed today?” he asked.
“We’re going out to breakfast, then running some errands,” Jackson said. “And we’ll hit the grocery store since it’s our week.”
“Okay.”
“I have a list a mile long,” Becks said. “And there’s a couple of wedding things I want to look at.”
Kal noted the way Jackson smiled over at Becks.
“Sure, babe,” Jackson said.
Becks looked happy. Kal liked seeing her happy. And in love with his brother.
She slung her backpack over her shoulder. “We’ll probably see you tonight, Kal. Say goodbye to Hannah for us.”
He grabbed his coffee and leaned against the counter. “Will do. Have a good day.”
He knew that Becks and Jackson were aware that Hannah spent the night. Nothing happened around this house that everyone else didn’t know about. Which got him to thinking about Jackson and Becks getting married.
It had been different for Rafe and Carmen. They’d gotten a house of their own. They could have their married-people privacy without having a third wheel underfoot. Maybe it was time he moved out so Jackson and Becks could have their space. Hannah had alluded to it, and now that he’d had some time to think about it, it was starting to make sense.
“Hey, you left me.”
He looked up to see Hannah leaning against the railing. She was wearing one of his firefighter T-shirts that hung all the way past her thighs. Her hair was messy from sleep, and she was the hottest woman he’d ever laid eyes on. The way she smiled down at him stirred both physical and emotional things inside of him that were way too deep to think about on a Monday morning.
“I needed coffee and didn’t want to wake you.”
“I’m awake now. And I definitely need coffee. Should I get dressed first?”
He shook his head. “Jackson and Becks left for the day.”
She came downstairs and got on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips. “Mmm. You taste like coffee. Where’s mine?”
“Coming up.” He brewed her a fresh cup and handed it to her. “Cream is in the fridge, sugar on the island.”
“Thanks.” She went to the refrigerator and poured a small amount of cream in hers, put the cream back and stood facing the fridge while she took her first couple of sips.
“I thought we might—”
She held out her hand, palm facing toward him to silence him, then took another couple of sips before she headed over and climbed onto one of the chairs at the island. “You always this cheery and talkative in the morning?” she half grumbled.
“It’s not like you don’t know me.” Kal grinned at her.
“I knew you at school. That’s not first thing in the morning.”
“Ohhkay, and you’re not a morning person. Obviously.”
“I’m a delightful person—after I’ve had a cup of coffee.”
“Duly noted.” He went quiet and climbed onto the chair next to hers, trying not to notice how his shirt had ridden up on her, showing off her amazing legs. Instead, he grabbed his phone and checked the news and weather for the day, giving Hannah the space she needed. He noticed she drained her cup and went to the Keurig to make another.
After taking a few more sips, she asked, “Where did Jackson and Becks go off to?”
“Breakfast. Then to run errands and do stuff for the day. They weren’t too specific. I think some wedding planning things were part of the day.”
“That could be fun. For Becks.”
“I dunno. I think Jackson is really into all the wedding planning.”
“Really? I’m surprised. He doesn’t strike me as the type to want to get involved.”
“He loves all things Becks, and he wants to marry her. So if she’s excited about wedding planning, he will be, too.”
“Aww. That’s sweet. How about you?”
“The wedding? I’ll be there for both of them.”
“No, not theirs. Your own someday. Will you be as excited about it?”
He shrugged. “Depends on the woman I marry, I imagine.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean if I’m heart and soul, head over heels in love, and she’s the be-all and end-all of my existence? Then yeah. I’ll be into it.”
She laughed. “What other woman would you marry, Kal? Some chick you
met when you swiped right on Tinder?”
“Hey. It could happen. People who met on Tinder have gotten married.”
“Really? You know this for a fact?”
“Well, no. But I’m sure it’s happened. It has to have happened.”
“Not a single person I know of has ever met a decent match on a dating app. Most men are only looking for a hookup.”
“Not true. I’ve met women on dating apps. And went out with them.”
“And subsequently had sex with them, right?”
He didn’t answer.
“I thought so. And since you’re not currently in the process of marrying any of them, I rest my case.”
He rolled his eyes. “You can’t damn an entire dating app based on my history. I was out for fun. And, for your information, so were the women I dated.”
“And you know this to be true, how?”
“I put in my profile I wanted fun, not forever.”
She gave him a scathing look. “Aren’t you just the most charming asshole? So you set the women up at the beginning not to fall in love with you. Or else, right?”
“Hey, I was being honest. I wasn’t in a place to be in a relationship at the time I was on those dating apps. I figured being up-front and clear with anyone I met was the right thing to do. Tell me that’s a bad thing.”
Now Hannah was the one who went silent.
He reached out to grasp her hand, but she pulled it away.
“Hannah.”
“I don’t know.”
“Talk to me, Hannah. Tell me what you’re thinking right now.”
She took in a breath and let it out, then swiveled her chair around to face him. “What about now? How are you feeling about dating now?”
“You mean with you?”
She nodded, and he read the uncertainty on her face. Did she really think he was comparing her—them—to what he’d been doing four or five years ago?
Then again, she hadn’t been in his life then. She’d known nothing about what his life was like in his early to mid-twenties. Or anything after they’d broken up when they were eighteen until now. Ten years was a long gap.