by Cathryn Fox
Go ahead, find out. I dare you.
Ignoring that taunting voice, he asked, “When you fell, did you hurt anywhere else?”
The pulse at the base of her throat beat rapidly, and her mouth opened and closed like she was fighting some internal war. He could relate.
You can’t do this.
Well, technically, he could. He just shouldn’t. As his blood pulsed hot, he attempted to rein in his lust.
“No… At least, I don’t think so,” she said quickly—so quickly it pulled him to his senses. Thank fuck one of them had enough sense not to let this go any further.
He stood, and her gaze dropped to his hard dick. Her eyes widened, glazed over, and in that instant, he wanted nothing more than to pleasure her. But he couldn’t. This was wrong, and she’d just straight-up told him no.
He’d turned to make his way back to his chair, desperate to put distance between them, when she said, “Ow.”
He spun back around and took in her pained look, but her tortured expression seemed to stem from arousal not pain.
“Holly?” he said.
“I…” She ran her fingers along her neck, and he watched, transfixed. “I think I might have been wrong.”
Walk away, Josh.
“You’re saying you do hurt somewhere else?”
Dude.
“I…uh…I might have strained right here,” she said and rotated her head, wincing like she was in pain.
His cock jumped. “Where, exactly?” he asked, need making his voice husky.
She angled her head to expose the long column of her throat, and as she joined him in this dangerous game he was playing, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. From the second he saw her in her cotton underwear last night, he knew he’d have to have her. It was inevitable. Heat shot through him as she dragged her finger down her creamy throat, coming to rest at the hollow that beckoned his touch.
“Right here,” she murmured.
He rolled his tongue around a suddenly dry mouth and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. He needed another drink, but there were other, more pressing matters at hand. Shifting on his knees, he leaned into her and made a slow pass with the soft blade of his tongue. More. Silky hair swept across his face as he pressed his lips to her quivering flesh. A little whimper of need echoed around him, and he could practically taste the tension zinging between them.
“Feel better?” he asked. Yeah, okay, what he was doing wasn’t logical or smart, but if he really thought about it, having sex with her only made sense. Once he snuffed this physical attraction, he’d be able to get his mind back on his mission and off all the things he wanted to do to her—planned to do to her—tonight.
How was that for logical reasoning at its worst?
He inched back to see her, and once he glimpsed the desire reflecting in her eyes, not even a brotherhood of soldiers could have pulled him off. She wet her bottom lip, and his body thrummed as he took in the sexy sheen left behind.
“I think I might have bitten my lip when I fell,” she whispered. “It stings a bit.”
Motherfucker.
Fierce need raged inside him as he cupped the back of her head and dragged his thumb over her lip. Using only the tip of his tongue, he brushed her mouth lightly, then delved deeper, sweeping his tongue inside her mouth to taste the depths of her. Her mouth moved under his, sensual, wanton…hungry.
He broke the kiss. “Strawberries,” he groaned. “I knew it.”
“Strawberries?” she asked, her breath wafting across his cheek.
“Yeah, that’s how you taste.” He gave her a little nudge, and she fell onto the mattress, her hair splayed across the bedding. Sexy didn’t even begin to describe the vision before him. “So goddamn sweet that I’m going to have to taste every inch of you.” He dragged in a breath, some coherent part of his brain reminding him she was injured. “Shit, what the fuck am I doing? You’re hurt, Holly.”
“You’re right, I am hurt.” He was about to back off but stopped when she sat up, inched her legs open, and said, “In fact, I hurt everywhere, Josh.” Lust darkened her eyes as heavy lids blinked slowly.
His throat sounded as he swallowed, and he knew this was going too far. He was getting in over his head with the one woman he needed to stay away from. “Holly—”
“I’m a big girl, Josh. Old enough to know what I want.”
“And what exactly is it that you want?” he asked.
“You.”
Fuck, when she put it that way… Unable to help himself, he leaned in, and all coherent thought fled when he tasted her again. Sugar-coated strawberries. Sweet fuck, he never tasted anything so delicious, so fucking addictive.
“Yes,” she murmured, the color in her cheeks deepening as he indulged in her mouth.
Dammit, she was beautiful. He put his hand on her throat and found her skin hot to the touch. His body jerked in anticipation—eager to have her naked so he could do dirty things to her—and a groan rose in his throat. Dragging his hand lower, he stroked between her breasts and over her stomach, coming to a stop at the top of her sweet, creamy thighs.
“Is this where it hurts?”
“Yes,” she murmured. “That’s exactly where it hurts.” Long lashes blinked over hooded eyes as he pressed a hand between her legs, kneading her flesh. Her hips soared, her body so eager for his touch it was all he could do not to lose his shit, bend her over, and claim every inch of her in a frenzied rush. His dick was so fucking hard, it wanted inside ten minutes ago, but he forced himself to slow down. Tonight he planned to savor her, give her what her body craved—what his craved—because there’d be no other nights like this one. There couldn’t be.
He lifted her dress to expose her lacy panties and mumbled curses under his breath as she spread her legs wider, a sweet invitation that twisted him up inside.
“You’re right, you are hurting. What do you think we should do about that?” he asked, lightly running his hand up her thigh until he felt her heat.
“Only one thing to do, I guess,” she said.
“What’s that?”
“Kiss it better.”
Chapter Five
Kiss it better.
God, did I really just say that.
Holly’s breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t seem to fill her lungs as she traded sexy banter with Josh, which was so not like her. But this hot guy did something to her. Made her forget her purpose. That was so not a good thing. Those thoughts, however, were for another time, when he wasn’t looking at her like he was going to own her body completely.
Yes, please…
He fell over her, the heat in his eyes promising her things—shockingly intimate things—that both aroused and frightened her. Sex with someone from work was the worst. She’d have to look him in the eye every day. But that thought was replaced by a moan when his mouth found hers again.
Good God, the man could kiss, and she couldn’t wait to feel his lips…everywhere.
His thumb brushed her hair from her face as he pillaged her mouth, his hunger lighting up every nerve ending inside her. He caught her lip between his teeth and bit gently. The pleasure was exquisite. Her entire body quivered in delight. As languorous warmth stole through her, he shifted, his mouth sliding down her skin. Big hands gripped her rib cage, and eyes a deeper shade of blue met hers as his thumbs brushed her nipples through her dress.
“I’ve wanted these in my mouth since last night,” he said. The intensity of the way he stared at her made it impossible to think straight. “Jesus, Holly, do you have any idea how sexy you looked, standing by the pool, soaking wet, with these sweet nipples poking out of your lacy bra?”
“No,” she whispered through a throat gone tight.
Was this really happening? Was she about to have sex with gamer-boy Josh, who was as hot as sin beneath the ridiculous T-shirts?
I hope so.
He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut like he was in total agony. “All I could think about w
as getting my mouth on you.”
“I…I…”
The roughness in his voice gave way to softness when he said, “Tell me you want that.”
“I want that,” she said quickly. Too quickly, like a sinful confession. Then again, what did she have to be embarrassed about? She’d told him she hurt everywhere and needed to be kissed better.
He gave her a sexy, knowing grin. “Have you been thinking about me, too?” he asked, a little more seriously.
“Maybe a little,” she said, not wanting to appear too eager, even though she was sure Josh was well aware of the blazing storm going on inside her.
His burning eyes left her face and trailed downward, and a shiver tingled all the way to her toes. “Good. And these panties,” he said, stroking a hand down her side and delving below the hem of her dress. With agonizing slowness, his fingers spiraled, toyed with the lacy band, tugging the silky scrap of material from her hips. “White lace.” A groan crawled out of his throat. “How could you ever expect me to keep my shit together after flashing me at the clinic.”
Her pulse jumped, and she drew a shaky breath. “You’re the one who pushed my dress up,” she said, her voice thinning to a whisper.
He grinned. “Yeah, I know,” he said, his voice completely unapologetic, letting her know he’d done it on purpose.
His mouth crashed over hers again, and her heart slammed as he devoured her. She whimpered, wanting—needing—more, all of him. She moved beneath him, and he pinned her with his body as his hot mouth abandoned hers. She slid her arms around his neck, urging him back. A low chuckle rumbled in his throat as he removed her hands and gently placed them over her head. Ooh…
“Keep them there,” he said, his voice low, demanding…bossy.
She was about to protest. Dammit, she wanted to touch him, too, but her words died an abrupt death when he found the erogenous spot on her neck. And truthfully, there was something so ridiculously sexy in the way he was taking charge.
“Yes,” she murmured.
Big fingers easily manipulated the tiny buttons lining the front of her dress. Despite the size of his hands, he moved with deftness, a controlled skill she’d never before seen in a man. Not wanting to think too much about that—after all, this was just a one-night fling to get him out of her system—she watched, eyes wide with fascination, as he opened her dress to expose her bra.
His nostrils flared as he pulled a cup down, and when his warm breath spilled over her, her aching nipples hardened even more. “So beautiful,” he murmured. His voice sounded tight, a little uneven. Maybe he wasn’t as in control as he seemed.
Did I make him like this?
Feeling a little empowered, she writhed beneath him, and he growled, a low deep sound that raced through her. “Stop moving like that.”
“Like this,” she said, gyrating her hips and brushing against his erection in a move that was so uncharacteristic of her. What is coming over me?
“Keep it up and I’ll tie you to the bedpost with that scarf.”
She stilled, heat flashing through her.
Josh laughed. “Oh, you like that idea, do you?”
Busted.
“No…yes…I don’t know.”
Still chuckling, he lowered his head, and thoughts of being tied up vanished when he drew one hard nipple into his mouth. He licked, sucked, and nipped, then tore his mouth from her body. His hands tightened on her rib cage. “If I didn’t have so many other things I wanted to do to you, I’d spend my night right here.”
He paid homage to her other nipple, and her entire body tightened with pleasure. So much pleasure. He palmed her breasts, licking until he had his fill, then pulled her dress up higher to press hot, openmouthed kisses to her stomach.
Restless, edgy, needy, she reached for him. “Josh,” she murmured as he settled himself between her thighs. She raked her fingers through his hair as he shifted and dragged her panties down her legs.
“White frigging lace,” he murmured, his voice dripping with desire as he pulled her panties over her ankles and tossed them aside. He gripped her legs and spread them, and spent a long moment looking at her. The muscles in his jaw flexed as his gaze raked over her nakedness. Never before had she felt so exposed, bare…desired.
Aroused…
She reached for him, and this time he let her touch him as he bent forward to take her sex into his mouth. She gasped at that first sweet touch of his tongue. Her hips lifted as his fingers pressed, and she reveled in the sensations racing through her blood. Honest to God, no man had ever given a damn about her pleasure before, but Josh, well, he was really paying attention and taking his sweet time to learn her body, satisfy her needs.
I could really get used to this.
She tossed that thought out as quickly as it had come. This was a one-night fling and nothing more, and no way was she about to develop more than causal feelings for him. Josh stroked the hot bundle of nerves inside her, and with long, luxurious strokes he licked her sex, the duel pleasure most exquisite. Her muscles tightened and clenched around his thick finger.
“Yes, just like that,” she whispered, her voice not quite steady as she tossed her head from side to side.
Heat built in her core and rippled onward and outward as he applied the perfect amount of pressure to her sex. Desire like she’d never before experienced gained her full attention, and she gripped his hair. “I’m…oh…Josh.” Dizzy, overwhelmed with desire, she let go and closed her eyes to concentrate on the sharp points of pleasure. Josh stayed between her legs, drawing out each glorious pulse with his mouth, and when her body finally stopped spasming, he inched back.
Instantly missing his warmth, she reached for him, placing her hands on his hard chest. His strong heartbeat crashed against her palm, and he closed one big hand over hers, swallowing it whole. Her chest rose and fell with a deep intake of breath as his gaze moved over her body.
“Josh,” she whispered.
Need flitted across his face. “Holly, I need to be inside you,” he responded, his voice husky and sensual, yet still deep and commanding.
She sucked in a quick breath and struggled to find her voice. He angled his head, and for a fleeting second, he looked like he might be having second thoughts. But then his mood changed when she said, “I need that, too.”
She worked to breathe, to think, as he quickly pulled his wallet from his back pocket and ripped into his running shorts. He shoved them to his knees, freeing his cock, and grabbed a condom from his wallet. As he tore into the package, she sat up and took his magnificent length into her hands.
“Holly…fuck,” he said, the harshness in his tone stroking her body and arousing her all over again. “What are you trying to do to me?”
“I just want to touch.” She ran her hands over the length of him, taking pleasure in the texture of his skin, the hardness. Heat and strength radiated from him, but when his muscles started trembling, she sensed he was having a hard time holding on. “Actually, you look like you’re hurting, too.”
“Holly—”
“Maybe I need to kiss you better.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. If you put your mouth on me, I’ll be done before I even begin.”
The deep timbre of his voice aroused her even more, and she grinned, liking that she could do this to him. “So nice,” she said. “And…big.” She leaned forward and his thick muscles shifted as he grabbed her hair and pulled it back. “Just a little kiss, to ease the ache.”
Widening her mouth to accommodate his girth, she drew him in, tasting the pre-cum glistening on his crown. She stole a quick glance up to see the way he was tracking her every movement. Turning her attention back to pleasuring him, she made a soft mewling sound, closed her mouth around him, and drew him to the back of her throat. He tugged her hair, and her body convulsed at the erotic sensations it evoked inside her. She worked her mouth over him, then with the tip of her tongue she circled his crown, reveling in the t
aste and texture of his skin.
“Mm, so nice.”
His hips jerked forward. “You’re killing me, Holly.”
She drew him in as deeply as possible, but his size made it impossible to take all of him. He pulsed inside her mouth, and grew impossibly thicker.
“Enough.”
In a swift move that took her by surprise, he pulled from her mouth, quickly sheathed himself, and fell over her, taking back the reins. His scent saturated the room, and she moaned against his throat as she breathed him in.
He inched back, his eyes fixed on her mouth as he positioned himself between her legs. Hard nipples pressed against an even harder chest as his mouth found hers.
“Please,” she begged between kisses, aching to feel him inside her.
His hips powered forward, and in one thrust he pushed into her. She gasped as his fullness stretched her, and sparks shot through her body, a violent eruption that tore the breath from her lungs.
“You feel so good,” he growled into her mouth. He stayed still and held her like he was giving her time to catch up, to adjust to his size and refill her lungs.
“More,” she whispered, a desperate edge to her voice as she rocked against him.
Pleasure gathered as he pulled out and drove back in, pounding into her with hot, hard strokes that had her clawing at his back, dragging skin. He didn’t even flinch as she scratched his flesh.
“Yes,” she cried out.
Their moans of pleasure blended, and she was sure anything she’d done before now wasn’t sex. No, this was sex in every sense of the word. Raw, primal, scalding hot sex that was definitely going to have her coming back for more.
Big fingers, warm and strong, threaded through hers and placed them over her head as he slammed deep and fast, giving her what she wanted—everything she needed. His mouth was close to hers. His hot breath came in a low rush, and her internal temperature rose as he feathered kisses over her jawline. He stretched her as he rocked into her, making her feel so gloriously full as they created a rhythm like they were long-time lovers, their bodies in sync. She wrapped her legs around him, holding him to her, and from the groans of pleasure she guessed he liked that.