by Tiffani Lynn
Have I ever been with a man who just wanted to lie skin to skin with me? Not that I know of. I nod and grip the snap on my skirt, intending to remove it, when his hand covers mine. “Let me. Do you need to take off your makeup or take your medicine?”
My hands fall to my sides. “Both actually. I’m backing down on the painkillers, but I need one to sleep, otherwise everything aches and I can’t relax.”
“Okay, do what you need to do, but don’t take off your clothes. I want to do that.”
After removing my makeup and earrings, I step back into his bedroom and find him wearing only his jeans while seated on the edge of the bed. The lines and sections of muscle all over his body are sexy as hell. Add the ink and he’s flat-out flammable. Most of the guys I’ve been with are thinner and more wiry-looking, so it’s a visual treat to see him like this.
“Come here, baby,” he says, holding out his hand. When I get close enough, he places both hands on my hips and pulls me in closer between his legs. “I’m going to take off your shirt.” My fingers grip the hem of my shirt out of habit and he gently brushes them away. “I want to do this.”
Carefully he pulls it up over my head and tosses it to a chair in the corner. He continues by running a finger around the waistband of my skirt before he unbuttons and shuffles the tight fabric over my hips, allowing it to pool on the floor at my feet. His fingers hook in the sides of my G-string and he tugs until it drops to the same place as my skirt. As he lifts his head he places soft kisses along my ribs where the worst of my bruises are.
My heart aches at his tenderness. I’ve never had someone be this gentle or delicate with me. My life is a series of abrasive moments and people, so this is more than special. I know my skin is hideous to look at with the black, blue and purple coloring, but he acts like it’s nothing.
“Carefully crawl up on the bed and lie down.” I do as I’m told, allowing my head to rest on the pillow and my eyes to locate his. He makes quick work of his jeans and shoves his boxers down with them. When he stands up, his cock juts proudly in front of him, hard and huge. “You’re killing me, Marina; I want you so bad it hurts.” When he prowls toward me, I wonder if he’s going to go for it and I almost welcome it. Screw the pain I’ll certainly feel, as long as I get the pleasure served along with it as he buries himself inside me again.
Moving in closer, his tongue sneaks out to swipe at my hardened nipple and I shudder slightly. The bed dips near my shoulder as he settles in next to me, the length of his body pressed to mine while his head is propped up in his hand so he can look at me. Those aquamarine eyes burn right through me, melting me into a sexual puddle of goo. I tickle my fingers up into his short hair, raking my nails along his scalp gently. As he relaxes into my touch, he begins tracing the patterns of my tattoos with his pointer finger and it’s both sexy and soothing.
“What’s this?” he asks quietly.
His finger moves along my hipbone so I answer without looking down, “It’s the symbol of hope.”
“Why hope?”
“Because at times, that’s all I had. I’ve never had money. Sometimes I didn’t have friends. Never had love. But I’ve always had hope that there would be a better day.”
“God, Mari. You gut me with that shit.”
“It’s the truth.”
His perusal of my tattoos continues. Swirl, stop, swirl, stop, long twist, swirl, stop. This time the motion is under my right breast.
I don’t wait for him to ask. “The dragonfly, besides being beautiful, is symbolic of a couple of things. The Native Americans believed that when they showed up, your dreams would come true. The Japanese believe they’re a symbol of happiness, strength and courage. Who wouldn’t want all of that loveliness with them everywhere they go?”
“The poppies?” he asks as the pad of his finger swipes at the cluster of brilliant red poppies I know covers my left hip bone. Another twofold answer.
“Official flower of August, which is my birth month. Mostly it’s in remembrance of my sister. If you look closely at the stem of the middle one, you’ll see her name, Rosie. She hated the name Rosanna, so I called her Rosie. She hated roses but loved poppies so it’s kind of an inside joke between us.”
My chest pulls tight when I think about Rosie. “I’ve always wondered what happened to her. Rumor has it my stepdad sold her to some Mexican drug lord. We were so close that it never made sense that she would leave of her own accord without telling me. I don’t doubt that my stepdad was capable of doing such a thing after the way he used me. Of course, my mom always told me Rosie ran away because she was ungrateful, but I never believed it. You’ll never convince me that she left me without a word to run away.
“For a long time after I aged out of the system, I looked for her around town, certain she would walk past me on the street one day. Then I swore I’d save a bunch of money to hire someone to find her for me but I can barely feed myself half the time. Whatever the case may be, I refuse to forget her, even if she did run away. She was the only bright spot in my childhood after Papa died.”
“How old were you when she disappeared?” His voice is quiet as he moves on to the next tattoo.
“Twelve. She was 14. We shared a room, sometimes a bed, depending on how crazy things were at our house. Too many times my stepdad’s friends would try to come into our room during parties, so we would block the door with our dresser and sleep in the same bed together. A twin bed is hard to share but when I didn’t have her to share with me anymore, it seemed too big for me alone.”
Matching the speed of a snail, he drags his finger over the curve of my breast, circles the nipple, tweaks it once sending a zing of pleasure straight to my clit, and continues his trail up near my shoulder to trace the cluster of little blue butterflies up there. My legs rub together restlessly and I squirm enough for him to notice.
“Mari, hold still.” His voice is stern while his eyes are uncharacteristically playful. I melt into the mattress at his expression. Playful is not a word anyone would ever use to describe Jase, so the rare glimpse of it coming from him is swoon worthy.
“It’s hard when you’re touching me, especially so sweet. I haven’t had much of that.”
Instead of answering with words he slips his hand down over my unbruised hip and leans forward, placing his lips softly over mine. When his tongue slips inside, a happy sigh escapes. Jase doesn’t just kiss me. No, he makes love to my mouth, never moving his hand from my hip, never going for more. I didn’t know kisses could be like this. I never want it to end so when he finally pulls away my eyes flutter open and I’m sure I’m wearing a ridiculously dreamy grin.
“My darling Mari. Never been much for kissing but I could do that all night long with you. The only problem is my body has different ideas and it’s getting painful.”
“We can—” He stops my words with his fingers to my lips.
“Don’t say it. I won’t be like every man you’ve ever known. I won’t take you for my own gratification when I know it’ll hurt you.”
“But—”
He shakes his head as he says, “Nothing you say is going to change my mind. We’ll have to wait until you’re healed up. I’m a grown-ass man and can take care of business if I need to.”
“Maybe I should put on some clothes then.”
“Don’t even think about it. I’ve waited years to have Marina Rossi in my bed like this and I refuse to give up the full experience.”
Two weeks have passed since I started staying with Jase again and we’ve formed a routine without me realizing it until this afternoon. I cook us dinner every night and have it ready when he comes home. Then we eat, he does the dishes, we watch a couple of hours of TV and then go to bed. Every night he strips me down, removing one article of clothing at a time like he’s savoring the vision. One night when I tried to do it myself while he was in the shower, he gave me an earful, so now I let him do it. Once I’m naked he spends the rest of the time tracing my tattoos while I answer questions about my
life. In the beginning, I tried to ask him questions about him but he always redirected the conversation back to me so I stopped trying.
By the beginning of the third week my rent is due so I use my new cell phone to message Amber, a friend from my old apartment complex, asking if she could take me to the bank and then to my landlord because he, of course, has not come into the 21st century and doesn’t accept electronic payments. I would’ve gotten help from Dee or Reggie but both have to work overtime this week and are unavailable.
Amber and I met while doing laundry in the basement of our old apartment building. She came in one night while I was standing on a washing machine avoiding a huge rat that was running around. She laughed for several minutes before she finally scared the thing away with a broom. Wild, full throttle, funny and a little bit of trouble is the best way to describe her. I also know she only works weekends at Stilettos for Studs, the local strip joint, so I knew she’d at least be off of work and able to help.
Now that I’m mostly healed I’m placing a few things on my agenda. First, I’m getting in touch with Judson. Quinn came over last week and said that they want me back out there to work when I’m healed. Surprised isn’t even a term that covers how I felt about that. I’m sure it’s because Jase and I are together but whatever the reason, I don’t care, I’m happy. I love that job and didn’t want to give it up. Second, I’m going to seduce my man. I’ve had enough of sweet time. I need a little rough and a lot of naughty. But more than anything, I need that physical connection with Jase.
He may have the patience of a saint but I don’t. I’m healed enough that I can get down to business so I hope he’s ready for what’s coming tonight. I’m pulling out all the stops. I love his hands all over me, love the way he looks at me when we’re lying there talking, but I’m ready for his heat and his passion. Those things have been locked up too long.
Dinner is ready and waiting on the stove. I have a light layer of makeup on and have curled my hair to lie in soft waves over my shoulders. Dee freshened up the streaks in my hair last week when I was lonely and bored. Now mixed in with my natural brown are fresh, shiny streaks of violet, pink and turquoise, exactly the way I like them. I avoided the teasing comb and hairspray, praying it would hold up without that stuff. I’d love to have some sexy lingerie to wear as I greet him tonight but that stuff costs more than I can afford so I went with the next best thing…nothing. I borrowed a pair of sexy red stilettos from Amber and that’s the extent of what I’m wearing. The belly button and nose rings don’t count.
My plan is to be seated with my heels kicked up on the dining room table, ready for him when he walks through the door. He foils that plan when he shows up 10 minutes early. I’m bent over the bathroom sink wearing nothing but the heels as I swipe the scarlet lipstick on my lips. I’m rolling them together to even out the color when Jase leans against the doorjamb scaring the crap out of me. The lipstick falls from my hand, marks the bathroom counter and drops into the sink, but I’m too busy trying to steady my heart rate to worry about it.
“Mari.” His voice is lower than usual as his eyes travel the length of me. His predatory perusal reminds me of the Big Bad Wolf and I shiver at the intention I see there.
“Going somewhere?” His eyes flick to my shoes and back as he asks.
“No. I wore them for you. I thought they looked sexier than bare feet.” I hope I gauged this right and this is something he’ll find sexy. He takes two large steps inside and the bulge in the front of his pants comes into view. A low moan slips from between my lips as he grazes the backs of his fingers from my chest down over the tips of my breasts until they rest on my hips. I’m finding it hard to breathe since he moved in close, the desire clear in his eyes. He pulls me against him, his lips press to mine. “You still have a few light bruises. I don’t want to hurt you, but damn, you look amazing.”
“Jase, you’ve been so gentle with me and I appreciate it, but I’m ready. I need it, need you. Please Jase. If it hurts, I’ll stop you.” He thinks it over for what seems like forever, building my need further with anticipation before he gives in and kisses me hard. Gripping my ass cheeks, he tugs me all the way flush against him. The kiss goes from a little heated to a full-blown inferno in seconds as I reach for his pants. I fumble with the belt so badly that he finally breaks the kiss to quickly strip to his boxer briefs, leaving his uniform in a pile by the door. The head of his cock is teasing me as it peeks out from the waistband and I lick my lips as I lower in front of him.
Just to tease him a little, I nuzzle him over his briefs and he groans bracing himself against the wall. When I finally free his cock and wrap one hand around the shaft, I place the other on his thigh for balance and find his thigh muscles bunched so tight they’re rock-hard. I tease the underside of the head a little with a twist and twirl of my tongue before I swallow him down one inch at a time with each bob of my head, savoring him as I go. Jase gets impatient and punches his hips forward, gagging me. My eyes water a little as I pull back to look up at him.
“I’m sorry honey, it just feels so damn good.”
I smile around him and go back to work, moving a little faster with my hand, pumping him as I go. My other hand slips between his legs to fondle the soft skin of his sac and I feel his muscles quiver a little when I give it a gentle squeeze. I let go with the other hand and slide it around to hold his ass as I take him all the way to the back of my throat and hold.
“Mari, fuck!” I thought the Spanish accent he uses with my name was heavy before. That was nothing. I’ve never heard it like this. I’m rewarded further when a string of Spanish words spill from his lips, none of which I understand. I glance up, my mouth full of his cock and find him biting his lower lip, eyes so heavily hooded they’re almost closed and I’m so turned on I can probably come without him ever touching me. I slide down one last time before he loses patience and grips me under the arms, lifting me back to a standing position. His kiss is hard and fast before spinning me to face the mirror. He flattens his palm on my back and pushes me down so my chest almost touches the counter.
I can feel his length settle between my ass cheeks as he takes a deep breath. “Mari, do you trust me?”
“Yes, Jase, why?” I answer, breathless and ready.
“Because I don’t have a condom and I’m ready to fuck you without one.” I swear my clit swells further knowing there’s going to be nothing between us and I slip my hand down between my legs to provide some relief as I tell him, “Yes, yes, yes, just fuck me.”
Moving back a little, he guides himself to my entrance while I work my clit with eager fingers. I’m so close. The slightest thing is likely to send me over the edge and I need it so bad. Weeks of waiting, smelling his warm skin next to mine, feeling his gentle fingers trace my tattoos. The slow build-up has finally reached a crescendo and I’m so ready. Thank goodness he doesn’t waste a second. He powers forward and after three amazing, breath-stealing strokes, I’m pushed into that beautiful oblivion where everything is happiness and sunshine. My arms turn to jelly and instead of bracing me, they give out as Jase continues to power in and out of me at a punishing pace. Of course, to make it as unsexy as possible, I clunk my head on the mirror and the sound causes him to stop.
“I’m sorry,” he says, out of breath.
I lock my elbows and push back against him. “Don’t be. Keep going!”
He begins again, but it’s a little slower this time and I know he’s trying to calm it down so I rock back into him, making the impact harder. Our eyes meet in the mirror and my sex clenches tight as I take in the erotic sight in front of me. Pausing, he lifts my leg behind the knee and props it on the counter which opens me up and gives him a better angle. I whimper as he enters me, this time not holding back in the slightest. Each smack of our flesh, each groan from his lips drives me closer to a second orgasm. I’m so close, hovering in that intense pleasure that comes right before you climax. He readjusts my hips a little and between the firm grip he maintains on m
y hips, the new angle, and increased force, I come again, yelling his name, trigging him to follow me. His cock swells and explodes inside me, filling me like I’ve never been filled before and after a few strokes, he collapses against me as I rest my cheek on the cool countertop. Totally worth the wait and effort. God that was amazing.
Now that the excitement is fading, the position is becoming uncomfortable so I’m glad when he pulls out and reaches around me to grab a cloth to help me clean up. After that, he lifts me in his arms and takes me to his bed to continue what we started. A few hours later we eat dinner in bed and sleep tangled up like every other night, except now we’re both sated.
Chapter Thirteen
Marina
On Saturday morning, as we’re getting ourselves ready to go out to the ranch, Jase’s phone rings and instead of answering it when he glances at the caller ID, he steps out of the room. He hasn’t done that at all since I’ve been staying here this time and something about it makes me nervous. I pull on my jeans and thread my belt through the loops. The depth of Jase’s voice vibrates through the wall, but it’s still impossible to hear what he’s saying.
After a couple of minutes it gets quiet in the living room. I step in front of the mirror and use bobby pins to hold the hair back that I’ve carefully twisted into place. Once I’m satisfied with my reflection, I step out into the living room holding my boots in hand. Jase is seated but has his boots on already with an ankle crossed over his knee. The expression he wears is contemplative, but the vibe he’s giving off is uncomfortable.