by Desiree Holt, Lisabet Sarai, Lily Harlem, Elizabeth Coldwell, Wendi Zwaduk, Imari Jade
“Sorry, Mama. Uncle Zeke and I were having such a good time…”
“I know, it’s great to have him here, but I don’t want you falling asleep in class tomorrow.”
“I’ll make sure he gets to bed,” Zeke interrupted. “You go ahead.” She thought for a moment that he’d embrace her, but he just brushed his lips across her cheek. “Have a good time.”
* * * *
Ruby had never been so confused in her life. She stood on the footpath in front of Crossroads, the April wind whipping her hair into her face, scanning the traffic creeping along Fourteenth Street. What am I doing here, when my lover is waiting upstairs? At the same time, her stiff nipples tented the cotton of her blouse and her clit beat a steady pulse between her thighs. How do I know Remy won’t hurt me? When she remembered his uncertainty and his need, though, she was somehow certain she could trust him.
Ten-thirty-five and still no sign of him. Ruby was ready to flee back to the safety of Zeke’s arms when a black stretch limo glided up to the kerb. The rear door popped open.
“Ruby.” The lush warmth of Remy’s voice melted her. “Get in.”
She seemed to flow into the dim, leather-scented interior, her bones like jelly, her flesh malleable as soft wax. The door had scarcely closed when he gathered her to his body, taking her over. His smooth lips demanded a surrender she gave gladly. He sucked the breath from her lungs than returned it, perfumed with anise. His kiss was all-consuming, driving out the last shreds of rational thought.
“Ruby,” he murmured into her hair, tearing open the buttons of her blouse, scooping her breasts out of her bra and cradling them in his palms. “I haven’t been able to think about anything but you.” He rolled her straining nipples between his fingers.
His touch opened the flood gates in her sex. In an instant, she had returned to the place he’d left her hours ago—soaked, wide open and desperate for his cock. She broke their embrace and hauled her voluminous skirt to her waist, exposing her drenched panties. Her moist ocean scent filled the vehicle. His nostrils flared and his lips curled into a smile.
Leaning towards her, he drew a fingertip across the wet fabric hiding her pussy. Her inner muscles tightened as sensation spiralled through her. He circled her engorged clit with the pad of his thumb. “Oh…!” Her breath came quick and shallow. Pleasure twined through her, coiling into an aching knot on the verge of unravelling.
Impatient with Remy’s teasing, Ruby yanked her bikini down her legs. Her companion buried his fingers in her pubic fur, seeking her centre. “Yes…!” she hissed as he flicked at the swollen bead of flesh. “Ah…” She arched up, lightning coursing along her spine. Still kneading her clit, he sank two fingers into her slick folds. She struggled to open wider, to take him deeper. The elastic waistband of her underwear bit into her thighs.
“Be still,” Remy ordered. “Don’t move.” A flash in the shadowed space of the car, a brush of cold steel against her skin, and the inconvenient garment fell away, leaving her naked and empty.
But not for long. Remy tugged at his zipper and his cock sprang free, urgent and proud. It glistened with pre-cum in the intermittent flashes of light coming through the tinted windows. Saliva pooled on Ruby’s tongue. She wanted to taste him, to swallow him whole. More than that, though, she wanted his hard dick inside her, stretching her, filling the aching chasm between her legs.
His eyes met hers, burning with lust in the half-darkness. It took no more than five seconds for him to roll a condom down over his rigid organ. Then he was looming over her, one knee on the seat, the other leg braced on the floor. He seized her thighs, holding them apart, and drove his cock into her hungry cunt.
Yes! Ruby felt instant relief as his silky hardness slid over her heated tissues and settled in her depths. With his cock buried to the hilt, he ground his pubis against hers, triggering frantic spasms in her clit. She was close to coming already. He pulled back. The sucking sound of her clinging pussy-flesh filled the small space. Before she could process her new emptiness, he rammed back into her, taking her over once more.
“Remy…” she moaned as he pierced her again, and yet again. She tried to wrap her legs around his waist. With a growl, he forced her thighs back open. She understood what he wanted, without him saying a word. Stillness…and surrender. She lay motionless beneath him and simply let him fuck her.
It was glorious. He plunged his rod into her pussy, again and again, seeming to increase the force with every entry. Ruby’s fingernails scored the upholstery as she hung on for dear life. Each stroke sent currents of pleasure sizzling through her. Her clit beat in time with her lover’s thrusts. Taut and trembling, she teetered on the edge of release.
She searched the face hovering above her. Remy’s usual composure had vanished, to be replaced by a fierce glee. His brows knotted with effort. His lips drew back in a tense grin, exposing gleaming white teeth. He wielded his cock like a sword, slashing into her, possessing her. She yielded without a struggle.
Their eyes met. Take me, she thought—or maybe whispered—letting her last barriers fall. Faint tremors of climax stirred in her depths, slowly bubbling to the surface.
All at once, he was open, too. She sensed pride, gratitude, triumph. Underneath ran a thread of despair. She read it all in his face. For all his power, this man was fragile, wounded, broken.
A shock of connection—he saw her comprehension and mirrored it back. “Ruby…” he groaned, driving deeper than ever, to her very core. She felt the swell and pulse of his flesh as he erupted inside her, then came herself—a rich, full, rolling come, like voices lifted in song. A million strands of pleasure wove into a perfect harmony, a crescendo that left her in a state of limp bliss.
Chapter Five
A cessation of motion brought Ruby back to her senses. In her frenzied lust, she had completely forgotten where they were—driving through the streets of New York in a fancy limousine—but now the vehicle appeared to have stopped. The driver probably saw everything, her inner critic commented dryly. You put on quite a show.
She brushed the thought away. She had more important concerns.
“How about that drink I promised you?” Remy looked worried and a bit sheepish. “Come upstairs. You can clean up, and I’ll find some safety pins for your blouse…”
Ruby surveyed the wreckage of her clothes and shook her head. “No. Take me home, please.” She didn’t know how she was going to explain her disarray to Zeke, but she had to get out of Remy’s presence. He had tucked his cock back into his trousers. However, she remembered it all too well—its smooth, tawny curve, its delightful hardness… A whiff of his herbal scent tickled her nose and her battered pussy ached anew. Their crazy fucking hadn’t dampened her desire in the least.
If anything, she wanted Remy more than ever. She’d seen behind his mask of self-control. She understood now that he harboured some secret sorrow. Motherly sympathy mingled with irresistible lust. It was so tempting to believe that her love could heal him.
“I’m sorry, Ruby.” He took her hands, running his thumb across the back of her wrist and sending sparks straight to her sex. “Honestly, I didn’t intend to overwhelm you. I thought we’d have a nice, civilised cocktail, get to know each other a bit…”
“Never mind. It was what I wanted. I’m sure you know that…” She forced herself to smile, battling a growing panic. She couldn’t afford this. Her life was too complicated already. “But I’ve got to get back to my son. Tell your driver, Remy. Now.”
With a sigh and a shrug, he followed her instructions. The limo started to move once more.
“When can I see you again? Tomorrow?”
“I’ve got to take care of the club. We’re open every day except Monday.”
“But after closing…?”
“I don’t think it would be a good idea.” She clutched the edges of her torn blouse, trying to hold it shut and hide her erect nipples. Her body screamed for contact with his. She shifted, putting more space between them.
The leather was sticky under her bare thighs.
Remy frowned. “I thought you enjoyed yourself as much as I did…”
“I did—too much. Forgive me, but I really can’t handle you right now. I’m terribly sorry. This was a huge mistake. We can’t see each other again.”
His voice was almost too soft for her to hear his reply. Still, it echoed in her mind as she stood on the kerb, watching the car slide away into the night. “But I need you, Ruby. More than I’ve ever needed anyone.”
* * * *
Ruby poured herself another shot of Johnny Walker and downed it in a single gulp. Alcohol was never a solution—she knew that—but right now she craved oblivion. She didn’t want to think.
Upstairs, her son slept—hopefully soundly—and Zeke awaited her return. How could she face him, with her clothes in shreds and another man’s cum drying on her skin? You’re a filthy, cheating slut. A third of a bottle hadn’t been enough to drown out the scornful voice. If anything it was clearer than ever. Just like your miserable daddy.
No! Her father had loved them, even his sharp-tongued, demanding wife. Ruby remembered the way her parents would disappear into the bedroom together when he first came home, and her mother’s satisfied smile afterward. Hot blood. It was her father’s legacy, as much as the music was.
She’d always been proud of her sensual nature. Now, though, it seemed to have landed her in an impossible situation. Two lovers…and she wanted them both.
Sure, she’d told Remy to stay away, but would he follow her instructions? He knew where to find her. And if he showed up again, would she really have the strength to resist him? If lust didn’t betray her, compassion would.
She swallowed another shot and shook her head. Then there was Zeke. His offer to care for Isaiah tonight was just the most recent evidence of his devotion. A good, decent man, a brilliant musician and a skilful lover who valued her pleasure at least as highly as his own. Ruby grew warm as she summoned memories of his kisses and his cock. She was lucky he hadn’t given up on her.
Damn! She loved Zeke. She could admit it to herself, if not to him. And strange as it seemed after such a brief time, she felt close to loving Remy, too. Meanwhile, competing for her time and concern, there was Isaiah and the bullies—the bar—the eviction notice—the bills… It was just too much. For the first time since Otis left, she felt like giving up.
Ruby gulped down another whisky. Finally she was beginning to feel the buzz. A couple more shots and maybe she’d pass out.
But then Zeke would worry, wouldn’t he? And what if Isaiah came downstairs tomorrow morning and found her, stinking drunk and barely dressed?
With a sigh, Ruby heaved herself off the stool and headed for the stairs. She might as well face the music. It wasn’t like she had a choice.
The room whirled around her. She stumbled, her arms flailing in an attempt to keep her balance. Somehow she managed to sweep the scotch bottle off the bar and onto the floor, where it exploded, raining glass.
“No more booze for you,” she giggled, staggering against a stool and knocking it over. The wooden clatter made her ears ring. “You’ve definitely had enough.” Walking was clearly impossible now that her legs had turned to jelly. Ruby crumpled into a heap at the foot of the stairs.
“Nobody knows you when you’re down and out,” she sang to herself. “Mmmm—nobody…” Her head had filled up with cotton wool. Dizziness seized her when she opened her eyes, so she kept them closed. It wasn’t so bad, down there on the floor. Smelt a bit like old beer, but that was okay…
“Who’s there?” A harsh voice tore into her half-conscious dreaming. Bright light flooded the formerly dark bar. Pain stabbed behind Ruby’s forehead.
“Turn it off,” she moaned. “Hurts.”
“Ruby? Jeez, Ruby, what’s wrong?” Zeke’s broad, even-featured face swam into focus.
“I’m drunk. Very drunk.” Her laugh turned into a hiccough.
“So I see.” He pulled her to a wobbly stand then hoisted her onto his shoulder as though she weighed nothing. “Well, let’s get you upstairs.” He’s so strong, Ruby thought, contentment cradling her despite her dizziness. The muscles of his back flexed under her cheek as he climbed the two flights to her apartment. She rubbed her face against the smooth cotton of Zeke’s shirt, breathing in his distinctive, familiar scent. I really am lucky. Any other man would have kicked my ass and then walked out.
* * * *
“You want to tell me about it, darlin’?” Zeke was stretched out naked on Ruby’s bed. Ruby cuddled against his side, her head on his shoulder. The curly hair on his chest tickled her chin. His warmth, his strength—it was bliss. She didn’t want to spoil it.
“Was it your date?” her companion persisted. “Did the guy hurt you or something?”
She cringed. Obviously Zeke had noticed her torn blouse. He’d undressed her and then held her under a cold shower, hand over her mouth to stifle her shrieks so she wouldn’t wake Isaiah. Then he’d forced her to take an Alka-Seltzer and drink two glasses of water. Now she was feeling almost normal, aside from a profound sense of exhaustion.
“No—nothing like that.”
“Did you have a good time, then?”
A good time? What a bizarre way to describe one of the most intense fucks of her life! Ruby just nodded. Zeke might be an angel, but she doubted he wanted to hear all the gory details of her encounter with Remy.
“So why the booze, then? I’ve never seen you drunk before, in the three years I’ve known you.”
She hiked herself up on her elbow and gazed into his eyes. “Sometimes—well, sometimes it’s just too much. Dealing with the bar, raising Isaiah…everything. It’s a lot for me to handle.”
“You don’t have to deal with it by yourself, hon.” He drew lazy circles around her nipple with one blunt forefinger. Ruby shivered, the delicate touch evoking shimmers of pleasure. “I’m here to help.”
“You’re part of the problem, baby.” His wounded look unleashed a flood of guilt. “What I mean is, it would just be so easy to depend on you. It’s really tempting. But I need to stand on my own two feet. You know that.”
Zeke eased her onto her back. “Yeah, I understand, with my head.” He trailed kisses from her earlobe down her neck to the hollow of her throat, then tasted the ripe flesh of her breast. His hair was a tangle of gold against her mahogany skin. When he looked up again, she was well on her way to melting, her pussy soaked and her clit swollen. “My heart—well, that’s another story. I want to take care of you, and I can’t help but feel hurt when you won’t let me.”
Ruby reached for his sturdy erection, running her thumb over the slippery cap. “There’s at least one way you can take care of me, baby.”
Zeke settled on top of her. His cock slipped into her moist cleft with no effort at all. “All you have to do is ask,” he murmured, setting up an easy rhythm. She hooked her heels behind his back and they moved together, rising and falling like a ship on the waves.
He felt so very good inside her—a perfect fit, stretching and filling every hungry inch of her pussy. She fluttered her cunt muscles around his bulk the way he loved. His mouth captured hers and they shared their breath, joined above and below.
There was no urgency, no strain. They climbed together, pleasure building upon pleasure, the journey as satisfying as the goal. Ruby scraped her fingernails along Zeke’s back. As she expected, he bucked his hips and skewered her more roughly. Zeke reached between his legs to press his thumb against her clit, making her moan and squirm beneath him as she always did.
Now he pounded her ferociously, as though he’d split her apart. She gripped her knees to her chest, opening herself to his delicious assault. He bent to catch one of her nipples between his teeth. The slight pain morphed into fierce delight by the time it reached her clit. He fucked her hard, ravaging her body, giving her what she craved. Still, their wild gyrations didn’t touch the core of peace, the quiet connection with this man she knew so well.
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A pulsing in her depths, a shift in his breathing, some clue told her when he was about to come. Her climax welled up to meet his, sweeping through her with the force of a tidal wave. The last shreds of her worry and guilt washed away, drowned in irresistible pleasure.
“I love you,” she whispered, amid the fading echoes of their ecstatic release. She didn’t know whether he heard her, but she had to admit truth…and damn the consequences. Zeke deserved at least that much.
* * * *
Ruby woke to find the mellow sunshine of afternoon streaming in her window. She rolled over to check her alarm clock. Well past four! She swore under her breath and tried to rise. Her muscles ached as though she’d run a marathon, her tongue was furry enough to need a shave, and someone was pounding an anvil in her head. What do you expect when you drink half a bottle of scotch and screw every guy who comes on to you?
She didn’t have time to argue with her mother’s proxy. She needed to pull herself together and get downstairs. Happy hour began at five. Zeke and Lori both had keys to the club, but Ruby always liked to be there when the doors opened to customers.
A hot shower soothed some of the soreness away, although she winced when she pointed the sprayer towards her battered pussy. I’ve had enough sex in the last twenty-four hours to last me for a week. I’ve got to give it a rest, she resolved. Still, the sting of the water on her clit woke memories, and the memories kindled new desire.
She found that she couldn’t wear her usual jeans. The friction in her crotch was unbearable, simultaneously painful and arousing. Shaking her head, she donned a calf-length denim skirt and purple knit top.
Three-quarters of an hour later, after mouthwash, coffee and two aspirin, Ruby felt almost human. She checked in with Isaiah, who was busy with homework, then made her way down to the first floor.
The sight that met her almost sent her scurrying back upstairs.