Crime and Punishment 4: Burning Submission

by Trista Ann Michaels

  He tightened his arms around her lower back and held her close…tight but not so tight she couldn’t breathe. Instead, his embrace was firm and comforting. His arms around her felt good…and right. Way too right.

  A tingling began in her lips, and she groaned, trying to push at Josh’s chest. He broke the kiss and reached up to capture her hands in his. “I’m going to hurt you or both of us,” she pleaded.

  “I felt it too, but I trust you. Concentrate on the kiss and not the tingling.” He lightly touched his lips to hers. “If you think about the tingle, it will only get worse.”

  With each brush of his lips over her mouth, she relaxed a little more. When he sucked on her lower lip, she moaned and leaned into him, unable to ignore the need that got stronger with each passing second.

  Every part of her body hummed with a vibrating energy that had her squirming. Was this her lust? Her powers? Was it the energy the two of them together created?

  She tried to break her hands free of Josh’s grip, but he kept them hostage as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pinned her hands at her lower back. The move forced her to arch and pushed her nipples more firmly against his warm, hard chest.

  When she couldn’t break free, her heart skipped a couple of beats in both apprehension and excitement. What was he doing?

  “Do you like to tie women up?” she whispered against his lips. “Like Linda’s husband?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  His admission should’ve scared her, but somehow, deep inside, she already knew, and the thought made her insides quiver with renewed excitement.

  He caught both wrists in one of his large hands and brought the other around to cup her breast. Jennifer moaned and closed her eyes against the onslaught of lust that had her pussy clenching.

  She should’ve been afraid, but she wasn’t. She knew from talking with Linda that Linda enjoyed what her husband did while she was tied up. The only reason they’d talked about it at all was because Jennifer had woken from a bad dream in the middle of the night. When she’d walked to the kitchen to get a drink, she’d seen Linda and her husband in the den. Linda had been tied to the table on her stomach, her husband swatting her on the ass with a riding crop.

  Jennifer had immediately rushed to her friend’s rescue. The whole situation would’ve been comical, and now was, but the things Josh made her feel had the scene looking much more erotic. She imagined him doing that to her, and every nerve in her body sprang to life.

  Josh hissed and then covered her mouth with his. The kiss was hard, demanding, and so thoroughly consuming it took her breath. She did what Josh suggested and thought about only the kiss, pushing the tingle to the back of her mind. It worked. The sensation lessened, but the throbbing in her pussy became worse. It was as though the fluctuating energy pooled between her legs with a shocking force that nearly brought her to her knees.

  “Josh,” she whimpered against his mouth.

  JOSH TIGHTENED HIS fingers around Jennifer’s breast as the tingling in his body intensified. Damn, this was going to be intense, provided she didn’t blow them both up. He’d never felt anything like the sparks of electrical current that now skimmed over his nerves and culminated in his dick.

  Maybe they should stop this before it went any further, because damn if he’d be able to keep himself from driving into her, condom or not. It was as though the current increased his desire for her, turning it into an almost unstoppable need.

  He broke the kiss and released his grip on her wrists. Cupping her face, he pressed his forehead to hers and drew in several deep breaths to try and get himself under control. Jennifer seemed to be suffering just as much as he was.

  “We need to run to the store,” he whispered. “I don’t know what it is, but it won’t be enough to just eat your pussy, Jenn. I’ll be balls-deep inside you before I can stop myself.”

  “I think it’s the current. It’s stimulating us somehow, increasing our sexual need.” She moaned and brought her mouth closer to his. Josh gritted his teeth and kept himself from devouring her, but barely.

  She surprised him by grabbing one of his hands and placing it between her legs. He felt her heat, and his balls drew up tight in anticipation.

  “Josh, please,” she begged. “I can’t breathe.”

  He knew exactly what she meant. The need was all-consuming, taking every bit of fight out of them and leaving them both quivering in heat.

  He cupped her through her jeans, pressing his palm against her mound. She moaned and rubbed herself against him. Josh covered her mouth with his, swallowing her groans of lust. Her tongue touched his, and a small spark tickled and popped between them.

  With a growl, he opened her jeans and then tugged them down her hips. He slid his hand inside her panties and cupped her wet pussy. Her cream coated his fingers as he slid them through her labia, teasing her opening.

  Jennifer gasped into his kiss and began to tug at his jeans. When she cupped his straining rod, his hips jerked roughly toward her touch.

  Unable to control himself anymore, he thrust two fingers deep inside her, bringing her to her toes.

  “Oh, yes,” she hissed.

  Her fingers tightened around his shaft, and he growled low in his throat as she pumped it quickly up and down. There was no sweetness, no slow touches, just pure, insane, animal lust.

  His mouth stayed glued to hers, their tongues dueling for control, their hands pleasuring each other. Her hips rocked with each thrust of his fingers. When he added a third, her hand moved over his cock even faster. He was so close. The tension that built in his balls made his head spin.

  Her walls were tight and slick. All he could think about was how badly he wanted his cock inside her and how much he wanted to feel those ripples along his length instead of his fingers. Was this how sex would always be?

  Just as he thought it, Jennifer’s release hit. She screamed as her pussy convulsed around his fingers, sucking the digits deeper into her body. With a groan of pleasure, Josh found his own release, spilling his cum over his stomach and her hand.

  The light above popped, showering broken glass all over them. Jennifer squealed and buried her face in his chest as Josh bent slightly, protecting her from most of the shards.

  They remained that way for several seconds, trying to catch their breath. Josh’s fingers were still buried deep inside her. Jennifer’s were still wrapped around his cock, her face pressed against his chest and his rapidly beating heart.

  “Looks like we’re going to have to keep a good supply of bulbs,” he murmured.

  Jennifer responded with a brief, breathy laugh. “What the hell just happened?”

  “I’m not sure, but I’m guessing we better go get some condoms.”

  “Yeah,” she whispered in agreement, but neither moved.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jennifer slowed as she came to the bottom of the stairs. Josh stood in the entry hall, fully dressed and looking as though they hadn’t just��well, basically had sex with their hands.

  She ran her palms nervously over the skirt of her sundress, smoothing out the hem and making sure it covered her thighs to the tops of her knees. The denim jacket covered her arms and would keep her protected from the cooler fall temps. She’d pulled her damp hair to the side and braided it, wrapping the ends in a red ribbon that matched the dress.

  The shower had helped to lessen some of the lust screaming through her body, but the heated look in Josh’s stare brought it back full force.

  Would they even be able to get back home before they made use of the condoms?

  The air between them practically hummed with electrical energy that tickled her nerve endings and made her nipples ache for his touch.

  Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her racing heart and came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. “Are you ready?” she asked, although she didn’t really need to.

  The man looked more put together than she felt at the moment with his snug jeans and that tight-fitting T-shir
t that outlined every damn muscle on his chest. She tried not to look down, tried not to notice the bulge behind the zipper of his pants. Unfortunately, she failed. Even partially erect, the man had a huge penis.

  Her pussy clenched, and with a sigh, she looked away.

  “I’m about as ready as you are,” Josh drawled drily. “I don’t know what the hell this is, but it got stronger the second you came down the stairs.”

  Her gaze shifted back to his in surprise. Did he feel it too?

  “Please think of something other than sex, or I swear, I’ll have no choice but to bend you over the back of the couch and fuck your brains out.”

  Her entire body warmed as the image played through her mind. She narrowed her eyes in frustration. “Oh, like that helps.”

  Josh snickered as he turned to head out the front door. “I think it did. It looks like the key is keeping you pissed.”

  Anger tightened her stomach at first, but she soon realized the tingles had lessened and her anger faded. He was right. Getting angry had slowed the desire a bit, or at least enough that she could shove the rest of it down so they didn’t have this simmering charge.

  Apparently, when she became aroused, it sparked the energy between them, affecting him as well, which in turn made them crazy for each other. Worse things could happen, she supposed.

  JOSH STEPPED OFF the porch into the warm afternoon sunshine. It was a stark contrast to the cool breeze that occasionally flowed through the trees. They should enjoy the warm weather as much as possible before the cold front moved through later in the day.

  Maybe thinking about the weather would keep his mind off Jennifer’s legs and the feel of her body next to his. He could still feel her walls convulsing around his fingers as she came and hear the sound of her whimpers. He liked the way she alternated between high-pitched sighs and deep groans. He would definitely enjoy finding out what other sounds she made during sex.

  His cock thickened, and he inwardly growled in frustration. Whatever the hell this energy was between them, it would drive him insane long before she learned to control it.

  He glanced over his shoulder. “My truck or yours?” he asked.

  “Let’s take yours since mine isn’t a truck,” she said as she walked past him toward his truck.

  Josh grinned at the sexy sway of her ass behind the red sundress. The color suited her and highlighted her light tan and pink cheeks. He imaged her without underwear so he could easily play with that firm behind and pussy whenever he took a notion.

  “We can stop by the hardware store while we’re out and pick up a few things.”

  He blinked in confusion. “What?”

  With her hand on the open truck door, she glared at him, which only made his cock harder. Damn.

  “If I have to stop thinking about it, so do you,” she said.

  He gave a nod. “Fair enough.” He started toward the truck but stopped. Unable to resist teasing her, he asked, “Are you wearing underwear under that?”

  Her mouth fell open, and color flooded her cheeks. “Josh! Seriously?”

  He felt the tingle almost instantly and cringed. “Okay, bad question.”

  He earned a frown from her as he climbed into the driver’s seat and shut the door. He wasn’t sure if the anger had been because of what he’d said or the fact that it had turned her on again. It certainly had him, that was for damn sure.

  All he could think about at the moment was running his hand up the inside of her leg and seeing just how wet she was. If not for the uncontrollable current between them, he already would’ve.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her settle into the passenger seat and pull the seat belt across her chest, locking it with a click. She crossed her legs at the ankles and folded her hands in her lap. She’d set her purse on the floor by her feet.

  “Are you worried about going to town?” he asked.

  “I probably should be, but I’m not. It’s been several months now. I’m hoping that if they were going to find me, they would’ve already. Besides, I can’t live my life in fear. I’ll become a neurotic recluse.” She looked sideways at him, and her lips lifted at the corners. “To be honest, I’m more worried about you and I keeping our hands off each other in public than anything else.”

  Josh laughed and turned the key to start the engine. “I know what you mean.”

  * * * *

  Josh placed the last of the groceries into the backseat of the truck and then shut the door. Jennifer couldn’t keep her eyes off his ass. Wow, he had a nice one.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked as he pushed the grocery cart aside.

  Yeah, but not for food.

  “I could eat. Are you buying me dinner?”

  “Well, considering earlier, I probably should, huh?”

  Jennifer snorted in amusement. Crossing her arms, she lifted her chin and replied, “Yes.”

  Josh grinned and handed her the keys. “Hop in while I take the cart back; then we’ll find something. Be thinking about what you want.”

  Oh, don’t worry. I have been thinking about it. All frickin’ afternoon.

  She climbed into the truck and let out a long sigh. It was a good thing she was wearing underwear; otherwise, her skirt as well as the seat would be soaked. The temptation to slide her panties off while he walked back to the truck was hard to resist.

  If she did it in front of him, would it encourage him to play with her? Make her come and hopefully lessen at least a little of the hunger now running rabid through her veins? Hell, even her bra hurt her nipples right now.

  She reached up and brushed one hand over her right breast. The driver’s-side door opened, startling her, and she quickly dropped her hand.

  Josh jumped up on the seat and slid the key into the ignition. “Where would you like to go?” he asked.

  Biting her lip, she glanced around, realizing she hadn’t thought about it. “Let’s just get something quick.”

  “Burgers?” he asked.

  She pointed to a small local restaurant just down the street. “They supposedly have good ones,” she said.

  Josh turned his truck in that direction. Once parked, they climbed from the truck and headed inside. The restaurant had been set up to look like an old-time saloon with wide-plank floors, log walls, a stone fireplace centered in the middle of the large room, and a massive wooden bar off to the left.

  It had a great atmosphere, and Jennifer couldn’t help but smile at the deer heads, shotguns, and fishing tackle decorating the walls.

  “Interesting place,” Josh said as he followed the hostess to a small table in a darkened corner.

  Jennifer started to ask for something a little more public but then changed her mind. Surely they could keep themselves in check. The restaurant wasn’t too crowded at the moment, but she had a feeling the owners wouldn’t appreciate any raunchy public displays of affection. Especially since Jennifer had no doubt that, once they started, they wouldn’t be able to stop. Their earlier bout in the kitchen had proved that.

  They sat down, and the hostess handed them the menus that mostly contained burgers and steaks. Knowing she would just get a hamburger and then not eat half of it due to her nervous stomach, she set the menu down.

  “You know, I don’t know that much about you,” she said. “Only what Linda’s told me.”

  Josh grinned at her over the menu. “Then you probably know most everything.”

  Jennifer smiled and bobbed her head to the side in acknowledgment. “True.”

  He set his menu down as well and gave her his full attention. In the dim interior of the room, his eyes appeared almost navy blue, making her heart skip an excited beat.

  “What would you like to know?” he asked.

  “Well”—she licked her lips—“I know you work for the FBI.” He nodded, and she continued. “I know you’re friends with Linda’s son, Parker.” He again nodded. “I know you live in Washington, mostly.” This time he just smiled. “Have you ever been married?”

>   He crinkled his nose. “I came close once.”

  “What happened?” she asked. “Unless it’s too personal.”

  Josh shrugged. “I tend to get caught up in my work. I wasn’t there enough, and she cheated on me.”

  Her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry.”

  Josh sat back so the waitress could set a glass of water on the table. “Can I take your order?” she asked.

  The next several seconds were taken up with food orders, but as soon as the waitress left, Josh continued. “Life happens, I suppose. I moved on.”

  “You probably have trust issues, don’t you?” Jennifer asked carefully.

  Josh pursed his lips and shook his head. “No. I just know how I am. I put work first.”

  “So you avoid relationships.”

  “Serious ones.”

  Jennifer wasn’t sure how she felt about that. He was gorgeous. He was also several years older than her, not to mention her life had the potential to be a war zone. With that in mind, what right did she have to even entertain the thought of a relationship?

  They had a wicked physical attraction, nothing more. They barely knew each other. Once he was done helping her with the house and making sure she was safe, he would be back at work, chasing the bad guys.

  He leaned forward and reached out for her hand. “Jennifer.”

  She sat back, not letting him touch her. Not because anything he’d said had hurt her, but because she knew where it would lead. Her hunger for him burned that hot.

  “You and I both know we’re going to have sex. Earlier in the kitchen made it pretty clear that whatever this pull is between us is damn impossible to ignore.”

  Jennifer swallowed and nodded in agreement.

  “But neither one of us should get attached.”

  “I agree.”

  At least part of her did. Another part felt hurt and…sad. It was too soon to speak of love and all the wishy-washy stuff that went along with it. What they had was physical attraction, pure and simple, intensified by her inability to control the energy surrounding them. She needed to remember that.

  Josh continued to study her to the point her face heated. “I said I agree, Josh.”