by Meghan March
But what could the man really do about it? Not a damn thing.
Back to the sleeping woman in my bed. I tried not to read too much into the fact that she wasn’t sleeping on my couch. For some reason, the fact that she was in my bed seemed so much more personal. So much…just more.
That is such a chick thought. I shrugged it off and stripped out of my clothes. A quick shower, and I was crawling into bed beside her. Two nights with her in my arms was a bad idea. It was the kind of thing I could get used to, and then once I handed over that deed, she’d be gone, and I’d be back to my one night, hit-it-and-quit-it lifestyle.
It sounded so unappetizing when compared to this warm, gorgeous woman in my bed.
But was there really any alternative? Realistically, this was going nowhere. I’d asked her for my shot. And I’d gotten it. I hadn’t thought beyond that. Didn’t have a plan.
I thought of the deed I’d had my lawyer draft the day after the Boys and Girls Club dinner. It was practically burning a hole in the drawer of my desk in the break room.
A better man would…
“Con?” A sleepy voice cut into my thoughts as Vanessa rolled to face me. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
The question was so goddamn domestic, like something a wife would ask her husband when he came home after a late night out and she couldn’t quite stay up until he got in. I squeezed my eyes shut for a beat. Just one more thing I liked too much.
“I think I did just wake you, babe.”
She snuggled in to my chest, still half asleep. “You smell good.”
“That’s what happens when you shower.”
“Mmmmm.” She pressed a kiss between my pecs, and her clever little tongue reached out to flick my nipple.
“Whoa, honey. What’re you doin’?”
Her voice husky with sleep, she said, “What does it look like?” Her sharp little teeth caught my nipple and tugged.
“You need to sleep.”
A small hand connected with my shoulder, shoving me to my back. “Don’t tell me what I need. Too many people tell me what I need. No one ever asks me what I want.”
I laced my hands behind my head and nodded down to my body. “Then take what you want. What you need. Only a stupid man would stop you.”
She didn’t look at me when she asked, “And you’re not a stupid man?”
“Not tonight I’m not. Tomorrow could be a different story.” And it could be. Because tomorrow I was due to make some decisions. Figure out exactly where this thing was going—and when I was going to end it. But for tonight, I’d take pleasure in being what she needed.
“At least you’re honest.”
Not hardly.
Vanessa made quick work of peeling off her dress, and the bra and underwear beneath it. Caught up in her creamy, unmarked skin, my fingers ached to reach up and cover her breasts. But I kept them where they were, eager to see how she’d take the reins.
I didn’t have to wait long. She dragged the boxers I’d planned to sleep in down my legs and tossed them to the floor. Her hands went directly to my cock, and my groan filled the room.
If I’d thought her hands were clever before, they were fucking genius now. One cupped my balls and the other gripped my shaft.
She lowered her head so her lips hovered directly over my cock. Just another inch, sweetheart.
A flick of her tongue across my apadravya dragged a groan from me. “Did this hurt?” The whisper of her breath across the head of my dick stole my thoughts.
“What?”
“The piercing. Did it hurt?”
“Not as bad as you’d think. Why?” I didn’t know why I asked the question. I should just want her to move along to the enthusiastic, dick-sucking portion of the entertainment, but this was about her. Not me.
“Just wondering. Because…” Her tongue flicked out again at the piercing.
Fuck. I fought to follow the conversation. “Because what?”
“Because I’m glad you did it. It feels really, really good.” She lifted and repositioned herself so she was straddling me.
Apparently the enthusiastic, dick-sucking portion of the entertainment was not to be. But when the hot slickness of her pussy grazed my shaft, I didn’t fucking care.
Using my cock and the piercing, she worked herself to the edge of orgasm. My hands, unable to stay still at the sight of this woman using me as her personal sex toy, reached up to cup her tits and tug her nipples.
“You gonna come on my cock, baby?”
A moan and a whimper were the only responses I got.
“You look so fucking beautiful like this, taking what you need.”
“Need more.” Her words carried an edge of desperation.
“What, baby?”
“Please…”
“Please what?”
“Fuck me.”
I released her tits and slid my hands down her sides until I reached her hips. Picking her up, I bit out, “Put me inside you if that’s what you want.”
One hand shifted down my torso, where she’d been keeping herself balanced, and grasped my slick cock. Angling it upward, Vanessa fit the head against her entrance.
It took everything I had not to slam her body down and impale her with my dick.
Through gritted teeth I asked, “How do you want it? Hard or easy?”
Her hips shifted, as though trying to take me inside her, but my hold kept her from getting what she wanted.
“Please…”
“Hard or easy, princess.”
Her eyes flashed on mine. “There’s nothing easy about you, Con. I don’t want easy.”
That was all I needed. I released my grip and let her sink onto my cock.
“Oh my God.” Her harsh exhale spurred me on. I clutched her hips and lifted her again before bringing her down and bucking my hips to stimulate her clit with my pubic bone. Her upright posture crumpled against the pleasure, and Vanessa fell forward, catching herself on my shoulders. I released one hip and dragged my hand up her back to pin her to me, chest to chest.
I held her there for a beat before resuming my grip on her hips and the counter-thrusting that would take us both to the edge.
“I’m going to—”
“No you aren’t. You’re gonna goddamn wait for me, baby.”
A moan of frustration and the flutter of her inner muscles clued me in to the fact that whether I wanted her to wait or not, this wasn’t lasting much longer.
“Please—”
“Hold on.” I increased my pace and the ferocity of my strokes. Vanessa pushed up, riding me like a champ.
The telltale bolts of lightning shot down my spine. “Now, baby. Now.” It was probably arrogant to think she’d come on command, so I decided to make it a certainty. Grasping her hip, my thumb slid over to stroke and press down on her clit.
The scream that practically shattered my eardrums along with the clench of her pussy clued me in to the fact that she was rocketing toward orgasm. So I let go.
I woke up alone. Con had been gone a while—if the cold sheets were any indication. It took a few seconds before my synapses started firing, but as soon as they did, I bolted up in bed.
Shit.
It was Saturday, and I had a funeral to go to. I was just thanking God that it was for an old man and not a teenage boy. But either way, celebrating a life was on the agenda, and I didn’t have time to linger.
Spying my dress and underwear in a semi-folded pile on the chair, I reached for them and hastily dressed. Thank God jersey didn’t stay wrinkled for long. I found my shoes and slipped them on. Grabbing my purse, I slung it over my shoulder and tried not to let it bother me that Con had left without waking me. A brief flash of panic hit me as I wondered if his absence had something to do with Trey. I calmed myself with the rationalization that if he’d taken a turn for the worst, Con would have woken me.
Distracted, I made my way down the stairs to an empty Voodoo and out the door into the back alley. I checked the knob to make
sure it locked behind me—shutting out the possibility that I could give in to my desire to head back up those stairs and crawl back into Con’s bed and wait for him.
But if he’d wanted me to stay, wouldn’t he have left some kind of note? I saw no sign of his bike when I climbed into my loaner, which was blessedly still parked in the alley.
I’d just twisted the key in the ignition when a loud rap on the window scared the ever-loving hell out of me.
Even though my glance out the window revealed a disheveled Con standing by my car, the sound was altogether too similar to the one made by the carjacker only a little over a day ago. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to calm my breathing.
I hadn’t gotten myself under control when my door was yanked open.
“What the hell are you doing?”
I held up a finger—the universal sign for give me a minute before I lose my mind.
Con was apparently not in the mood to give me a minute.
“You’re just fucking leaving? Not a word. Just gone. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”
What the hell?
“What are you talking about?” I asked, pressing a hand to my still-thundering heart.
“You. Running off.”
“I have to get to—”
“This should be good, because it can’t be work, given that it’s Saturday. That’s the excuse you used last time.”
“Last time? What—” And then his meaning hit me. Yes, I was a little slow on the uptake this morning. But I was also totally confused as to why he was comparing this morning to that one.
“Guess I should’ve expected it. I mean, what the hell did I really think was going to happen? I got what I wanted; you got what you wanted. Why would you stick around?” Con pitched the coffee carrier he was holding across the alley, and the cups exploded when they collided with the brick wall. “Should’ve known.”
Mouth hanging open, I couldn’t even form words. I felt like I’d just been dropped into some kind of alternate reality. This angry Con was the one I’d known before.
“What are you waiting for? You got what you wanted. Just go.”
I could’ve gone. The twisted expression, accusing eyes, and bulging muscles covered with ink painted a foreboding picture.
But I didn’t. Because I wasn’t about to walk away from this encounter with absolutely no idea as to what had caused his behavior. Not even if I was running short on time.
So instead, I climbed out of the car. Hands on my hips, I stood tall and stared him down.
“What in the ever-loving hell are you rambling about, Con? You’re the one who left me alone in bed and disappeared.”
Con jammed his hands into his hair and shook his head. “Yeah, and it’s so fucking convenient that you jetted as soon as you got your hands on the deed.”
Now my confusion was complete. “What are you talking about? Seriously. Have you been drinking this morning already? I get that it’s five o’clock somewhere, but this is a little extreme… even for you.”
“The deed. The one you came in begging for, and the only motherfucking reason you ended up in my bed.”
Now that just pissed me off, and I finally was catching on to why he was throwing his little mantrum. “Do you really believe what you’re saying right now?”
“You tell me, princess. Why shouldn’t I believe it?”
“I don’t know, Con. I guess I thought I was in your bed last night because I wanted to be there. But right about now, I don’t think there’s anything I can say to make you believe that.” I looked down at my watch. I didn’t want our conversation to end like this, but Con didn’t look like he was in the mood for a reasonable discussion.
“You could tell me you didn’t take the deed and run.”
“I don’t think I need to. I’m pretty sure you can march your ass back up to your apartment and figure that out for yourself. Because if there was a deed to be had, it’s still there.” I got into my car and slammed the door, not waiting for his response.
Before I could buckle my seatbelt, Con ripped the door open again and invaded the cabin. “Oh, no you don’t, princess. Changed my mind. You don’t get to leave.” He snatched the keys from the ignition and shoved them in his pocket before lifting me out of my seat and tossing me over his shoulder.
“Put me down. I’m leaving!”
“You’re not going anywhere until I’m good and ready to let you go. I already made that mistake before. Took me two fucking years to recover from it. Not doing it again.”
“You’re insane!”
“And you’re the one making me fucking crazy, so get over it.”
I struggled, pounding on his back, probably looking like a cavewoman pissed off at the man dragging her back to his cave.
A heavy palm landed on my ass, momentarily stunning me into stillness.
Did he seriously just spank me?
My shock lasted just long enough for Con to find his keys and unlock the back door of Voodoo and slam it behind us.
“Put me down!”
“All in good time. All in good time.” His words came out as grunts as my fists continued to land on his back. If I were a bystander, I’d be laughing myself silly, because we had to look ridiculous. Nothing I did stopped Con. He ran up the stairs, and I bounced on his shoulder with each step. Moments later I was flipping upside down, my skirt flying up toward my eyes, and landing on the bed with a thump.
I sprang right back up onto my feet and headed for the door—or at least I tried to. Con’s thick forearm caught me around the waist.
“Now why would I let you get away so fast if I just went through all this trouble to get you back up here?”
“Because you don’t want another encounter between my knee and your balls?” I snapped.
His chuckle sent my temper flaring even higher. “Come on, princess. Just hear me out. I’m about to apologize, and I’m pretty sure you don’t want to miss that.”
“All you’ve spouted is crazy this morning, so I’m not sure I’m equipped to handle whatever you’ve got to say next.”
“Please.”
One word. One word spoken in the most sincere tone I’d ever heard come from Constantine Leahy doused my temper. I stilled, and he dropped his arm. My eyes tracked his movements as he crossed the room and grabbed something off the kitchen table. A white envelope. He came back to stand before me and held it out.
I accepted it and stared down at Con’s writing on the front.
Van,
Because I don’t want to wonder if this is the only reason you’re here. I’ll be back, and then we’re going to talk.
Con
“Ohhh...” All became clear. “You thought…”
“Yeah.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched me.
“I’m glad you didn’t let me leave then.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because we really do need to talk. About this—” My hand shook holding the envelope. “And about what we realistically think is going to happen next.”
Con jerked back as though I’d slapped him. And I suppose maybe I should have chosen my words better. “I mean—”
Con’s grunt cut me off. “Yeah, I guess we do need to be realistic. Because it’d be a goddamn fucking fairytale if this was anything more than a short-lived affair. You need to go back to your world, and I need to quit stepping outside of mine.” He shook his head.
Well, there was a reality check if ever I’d had one. But his words didn’t add up with his actions.
“If you’re so ready to end… whatever we’re doing… then what’s with the caveman impression you just pulled off? I would’ve thought you’d been happy to see the back of me.”
His fists clenched and he stepped toward me. “I didn’t say that’s what I wanted, princess. I just said that’s how it’s gotta be.” Even in my low heels, he towered over me by a good five inches. “We don’t always get what we want. At least I don’t.”
I stared up into his deep blue e
yes. This was the moment. He was giving me an out. I could walk away, deed in hand, and get on with my life. A life without Con.
I imagined seeing him on the street again like I had that night two years ago. Except in my imagination, he had his arm around some other woman and was leading her back to this very apartment. Jealousy for that faceless, nameless, nonexistent woman pooled in my belly like battery acid.
“I’m not ready.” The words were out before I could even consider their impact. I just knew, with a certainty borne of nothing but the feeling in my gut, that I wasn’t ready to let go of whatever this was.
Con’s eyes blazed.
“Excuse me?”
The words came just as easily the second time. “I’m not ready for this to be over.” I held up the deed in my hand. “Even without this between us, I’m not ready to walk away.”
He shifted closer, the heat from his body burning through my dress. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
I nodded jerkily. Whether I really knew what I was saying was up for debate, but the alternative was utterly unacceptable. “I think so.”
“Then God help us both. Because that was your one shot to walk away clean. I don’t know if I’ve got it in me to give you another.”
I swallowed. “Guess we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” I looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. “I hate to say this, but I really do need to go. I can’t be late for the memorial service.”
A predatory smile spread across Con’s face, and in that moment I knew I would follow him even if he led me straight to hell. “You ain’t leaving until I get another taste of you.” He stalked me until I was pressed against the wall, and memories of the coatroom at the Boys and Girls Club dinner infiltrated my mind. I guess that was fitting, because we were sealing another kind of deal, and there was no telling how this one would end.
“Can you be quick?” I asked, partly joking, partly not.
“Guess we’ll find out.”