by Marie Harte
“Yeah, well, before Maya could tackle her to the ground, I grabbed her and stopped her from making things worse. Anson backed me up. We said Selena walked into a door.”
“Her lawsuits are over, by the way. She knows she can’t win.”
“Good.” Dex met Anson’s raised glass with his own. “Now with Selena out of the way, I can focus on seducing Maya. I finally got that kiss I was denied at prom.” And it was everything I’d hoped for. “That’s right, gentlemen.” He ignored Anson’s groan. “I’m calling dibs. Maya is mine.”
Jack had already staked his claim on Ann. “Guess that just leaves Riley for Anson. Oh wait. She hates your guts. Sucks to be you.”
“She doesn’t hate me.”
Dex refused to cut his cousin any slack. “She sure doesn’t like you. Face it. You screwed up. Instead of trying to be nice and just talking with the woman, you kept trying to outdo her at every turn.”
“I was trying to impress her,” Anson admitted. “But that was a long time ago. I grew out of the need back when I was a teenager.”
“Uh-huh. Not believing you.”
Jack shook his head. “Me neither. Come on, Anson. Try to be a little nicer around her. Just think. The three of them are friends. The three of us are friends. Ann’s already bringing up date nights with other couples. I want to hang myself at the thought of doubling with her principal and her husband. The woman is forty going on ninety. God save me from cat people. But you guys? Hook up with Maya and Riley and I won’t have to shoot myself when we’re ‘Camping with Couples’.” He ended in air quotes. “Just think. No annoying Harvard types or rabid athletes trying to show us up. Well, that’s if Anson can tone down his need to be better than the rest of the world.”
“Up yours, Jack.”
“He’s got you there,” Dex admitted.
“I’m not trying. I am better than everyone else.”
“Except Riley,” Dex added.
This time, Anson didn’t argue with him. He just grunted and drank.
“Right. So, Jack, I have nine more dates with Maya to get her to love me forever. You’re in with the best friend. Any suggestions?”
“Besides an exorcism?” Anson quipped under his breath, which Jack found hilarious.
Dex tried to look stern, but he couldn’t stop a smile. “Come on. She’s not that bad.”
“Cuz, at least be honest. She’s a holy terror. She broke a woman’s nose,” Anson emphasized.
“So she has a few anger issues,” Dex defended. “Who doesn’t?”
“Well, when Ann gets mad, she freezes me out.” Jack shrugged. “And I’ve seen Riley refuse to bake cookies when she’s upset with someone. Not exactly the violent types.”
“Maybe so. But no one, and I mean no one, has ever kissed me the way Maya did Friday night. That woman wants me. I want her. How hard can grabbing hold of her be?”
“Catching a tiger by the tail,” Anson sighed.
Jack nodded. “It’s not the grabbing, it’s the holding on for dear life you should be worried about.”
Dex said nothing, still feeling enthusiastic about the prospect.
Jack and Anson stared at him before Jack called for another round.
Anson shook his head, then he and Jack raised their near-empty glasses to Dex in a toast. For my naïve sap of a cousin. May you survive this battle.
“Against all odds,” Jack continued. “May you not find yourself castrated, crying and broken when she’s through with you.”
“Poor bastard.”
A waiter brought them another round of beers. But while Jack and Anson continued to tease him, Dex planned to outflank and out-strategize his opponent. Mean she might be, but Dex had staying power. And by damn, he was a Marine.
What more needed to be said?
Chapter Four
Monday morning Dex puttered around his new studio, eager to open for business. He planned to officially open his doors in another week, though he’d already gotten a few early appointments for Christmas cards and two weddings.
The domestic nature of his photography was such a change from the dynamic and sometimes dangerous shots of urban life and nature he’d taken overseas. Africa, Asia, Russia, Europe, he’d traveled extensively while in the Corps and then while out of it, capturing life as he saw it.
Photography had always been his passion. Despite his time in the service, he’d continued to shoot pictures whenever possible. And the work had paid off. Literally. He’d managed to grab the attention of a big-name agent who’d sold his work in galleries worldwide.
Yet something had always been missing. He loved to travel. He loved his art. But he’d never felt at home like he did in Bend, near his family. Near Maya.
He sighed. The woman would flip out if he admitted he’d returned for her. In love with her as a kid but unaware of the true depth of his feelings, it had taken time for him to realize he wanted Maya in his life.
Despite the distance between them, he’d kept subtle tabs on her via his mother. He’d worried she might find someone, but she hadn’t. He thought he knew why. The woman had some serious hang-ups, not just about relationships, but about her identity as well.
Someone knocked on the outer door of the studio, interrupting his train of thought.
As if he’d summoned her, Maya stood outside holding two cups of coffee.
He smiled, his grin widening as her frown grew. He hurried to unlock and open the door, then ushered her inside. “Good morning, beautiful.”
“Here.” She shoved a cup at him.
“Still not a morning person, I take it?”
She shook her head.
He took a sip of his coffee and nearly spit it out.
“Oh, that’s probably mine. You drink yours black, right?” She switched cups and he drank the dark stuff with pleasure.
“Perfect. Thanks.”
She shrugged, a casual gesture that sent her black hair over her shoulder like a ripple of silk. “I came downtown to talk to my accountant. Thought I’d swing by and see what you’re up to.”
He had the space divided up. In the front was a small area for a reception desk and waiting area complete with a couch, chairs and a table. In the back, several sections had been divided by expanses of wall, where he snapped portraits, and behind that, a storage room for supplies.
She walked into the back. After locking the front door, he followed her. She trailed a hand over a few set pieces, and he once again experienced an overwhelming urge to toss her against the nearest wall and take her. She wore a long skirt over brown boots and a sweater that looked soft to the touch. Her breasts, large, round, and so appealing, fit her frame perfectly. Maya constantly tempted him to touch, indulge and not come up for air until he turned sixty. At least.
He coughed to clear his throat and prayed his jeans masked his arousal. “Thanks for the coffee.”
“Sure.” She stopped by the back corner, where he’d hung a few prints taken during his stint in Germany. Ancient castles in full fields of green surrounded by clear sky. Like a fairy tale come to life. “I like this one.”
“Pretty grand, eh? I liked the structure of it, the hard lines softened by the flora behind it.”
She smiled. “Well don’t you sound all artistic?”
He took a sip of his coffee to keep himself from reaching for her. “Something we have in common then.”
“Yeah, but my stuff is pretty basic.”
“I wouldn’t call your work basic.”
“It’s just clay.”
“If it’s so basic, why isn’t everyone as successful as you are?” He knew Maya made a living off her art, and by any creative person’s standards that counted as success. The term starving artist hadn’t been coined by accident.
She flushed and turned away. If he hadn’t been looking closely, he would have missed
her reaction. The woman responded to praise like a child staring longingly through a toyshop window, wanting something out of reach. It saddened and angered him that she never accepted her due, rather she shrugged compliments away as if she didn’t deserve them. That hadn’t changed in the time he’d been away either.
“I’m not rolling in riches like you. I’m living okay, I guess.” She moved away from him toward another print in the corner, a vibrant picture of the setting sun over the Cathedral of Basil the Blessed in Moscow. “Did you really go there?”
“Yeah. Gorgeous detail. Russia’s a beautiful place.” He moved closer to her and didn’t stop until he stood directly behind her. “It’s full of warmth, but most people only think of its cold and unforgiving climate. It’s not all Siberia in the middle of winter.”
She stiffened, no doubt feeling him right behind her, then turned around and put a hand on his chest. “Whoa. A little close, aren’t you, Black?”
“Not close enough.” He leaned in slowly, to give her time to move away should she want space. He planned to seduce her at a leisurely pace. From her reaction to their kiss in the truck, he thought he’d been making headway. Great on the one hand, yet doing no more than kissing her left him aching.
It was too tempting to have her so close. He set his coffee down on the nearby table, then took hers and put it down as well. Eliminating the small distance between them, he gave in to desire and kissed her.
She let him, let the heat build between them, then gripped his shoulders and pushed him back.
He didn’t release her, not sure at what point his hands had gripped her by the waist. “Now isn’t that better than a cup of coffee?” He tried to joke off his desire, but the glare she shot him told him he’d overstepped.
“No.”
Damn it. Before he could apologize, she yanked him forward and kissed him. She took charge, penetrating his mouth, licking and stroking until he felt himself taken, seduced and thoroughly overwhelmed. Jesus Christ.
She pulled back, her eyes so dark they looked black. “That’s better than a cup of coffee.”
“I’ll do you one better,” he growled and shoved her back against the wall. He plastered his mouth to hers, determined to be the one in charge. Maya as the aggressor sent his body into overdrive…and recharged his kink to dominate.
Knowing how strong she was, wondering how much she could truly take, made his need to control her an all-encompassing urge.
Then her hands snaked under his sweater. She scraped her nails up his chest, plucked at his nipples, then trailed down his belly, sliding past his jeans and underwear to graze his cockhead.
He hissed his approval, and she dug deeper, trying to touch more of him. He hadn’t planned to have sex with her until at least date five, but damn if his cock remembered that. He couldn’t deny needs long buried. He fucking wanted her with every breath he had. With every cell in his body.
He trailed his lips to her ear and whispered, “If you don’t want to be fucked up against this wall right now, you need to pull your hands away and leave.”
She responded by finding his cock and gripping him tight.
He shuddered, closed his eyes, then nipped her earlobe. “That’s all the warning you’re gonna get.” Pulling back, he studied her, noting her full lips, the shine of desire in her eyes, her heavy breathing… “Take off your top. Let me see those tits.”
His vulgarity excited her, as he’d guessed it would. She bit her lower lip and immediately took off her top. The sight of her full breasts made him want to worship them for days. He didn’t wait for her to get to her bra but unfastened it himself. Then he stared.
She didn’t flinch or shy away. Proud Maya stood as if she’d been meant to be admired this way.
“Shit.” Not the most articulate thing to say, but seeing those beautiful breasts, her dark nipples tight and drawn in arousal, took away his ability to think. He lowered his head and took a nipple in his mouth while frantically praying he had a condom in his wallet.
Her moans and pleas for more undid him. He continued to suck her nipple while pushing her skirt down her body. She kicked it off, and he pulled back to see her dressed in high brown boots and a fucking thong.
“Jesus. Am I dreaming?” He didn’t wait for her answer. Instead he knelt, dragged her thong off and drew her sweet clit into his mouth.
She clutched his head while he ate her out. He continued to taste her while he shoved one finger, then two inside her, loving her impossibly tight pussy. When she cried out and came, he eagerly lapped her up.
Unable to wait any longer, he fished a condom out of his wallet—thank God—and donned it in seconds.
“Damn, Dex.” She reached out to him, and he went more than willingly. He pushed her back against the wall and kissed her, knowing she tasted herself on his lips. So damn hot.
He lifted her easily, aware the only things she wore were the pair of boots she crossed behind his back. Then he angled himself at her wet core and shoved hard.
“Fuck me. You feel so good,” he groaned as he took her.
She didn’t answer, moaning as she gripped him tighter, riding him as much as he pounded into her.
He kissed his way to her breasts again, sucking her nipples while an explosive orgasm built up, creeping along his spine.
“Dex, yes. Yes,” she cried.
He released her nipple and clutched her ass tighter, trying to get as deep inside her as he could. “Coming, baby,” he warned as he shoved one more time and climaxed.
He saw stars as he pumped into her, wishing he’d been coming naked into her wet warmth. Yet even separated by a thin bit of latex, he felt her heat. The orgasm so intense his knees nearly buckled.
When he could breathe again, he leaned against her, refusing to pull out just yet.
“Wow, Dex. I didn’t know you had that in you.”
He ignored making an immature refrain about having it in her and just nodded. He felt her fingers thread through his hair and moaned at the pleasure of having her all to himself. He’d made love to Maya Werner. Against a wall in his studio. A less romantic place he couldn’t fathom, and it had been beyond his fantasies.
“Dex? Are you still hard?” She blinked at him, then smiled. “Well, well. I do love a man with endurance.”
He tried not to think too much and just revel in Maya. “I wasn’t expecting this. I only had the one condom.”
“And you’re wearing it. Too bad.” She gave him a fake pout.
“But there are other things we can do.” He gave her a sly smile. “Unless you’re only good for one round?”
“Please. I have yet to meet a man who can keep up with me.”
“Challenge on, baby.” He withdrew from her and took off the condom. He dropped it to the floor and stroked himself, excited when she continued to watch him jerking off. “Go on. Touch yourself. Let’s see who comes first.”
She looked away from his cock to stare at him. Then her smile turned carnal. Dark. “You think I won’t?”
“I pray you will.”
“Well, I propose something else.”
“Yeah?” He’d grown hard too easily. Touching himself in front of Maya was keeping him that way, as if his first explosive orgasm hadn’t happened.
“How about I jerk you off, and you finger me? Then we’ll see who comes first.”
Hell yeah. “Wager?”
“I’d say whoever comes first is already the winner.”
He grinned. “You got that right.” With pleasure, he reached for her wet folds and slid his large fingers between them. She widened her stance to give him better access, and then she reached for his cock and pumped him. Long, slow strokes that drove him mad.
Rubbing her clit faster as his excitement increased, he stared into her eyes, still not sure he was awake as his dream come true continued to progress.
; “You’re drenching my fingers,” he whispered. “So wet and hot. Wait ’til I come inside that hot pussy. My big cock wearing you out.”
She squirmed, her breath raspy, but she didn’t break eye contact.
“I’m wet for you. My mouth is wet too, Dex. Imagine how good it’ll feel when I’m licking you. Sucking that fat cock until you come down my throat. Yeah, you like that, don’t you?”
He’d never been so hard. Then the witch jerked him faster, and he couldn’t slow down. Couldn’t stop himself from crying her name as he jerked and came all over her belly and hand.
He kissed her as he continued to spend and shoved his middle finger inside her while he ground his thumb against her clit. When he pulled his mouth away, she finally let his cock go and humped his hand.
“Fuck. Oh yeah, I’m coming,” she said on a gasp. She trembled against him, her clit hard and full, her body wet with need. He’d helped her to her own happy ending again, and her pleasure made his that much better.
“You okay?” he asked after pulling his fingers away.
“Hold on,” she said and closed her eyes. “Still not thinking straight.”
He chuckled and kissed her, a soft kiss of thanks. He studied her, still amazed at the way his morning had started, especially since none of this had been planned.
“You are fucking beautiful.” He slid a hand over her belly, rubbing his seed over her skin. A primitive thrill of possession filled him—the need to claim her, to let everyone know Maya Werner belonged to him—and was difficult to ignore. But handling her the right way now would set the tone for how they moved on.
He knew how her mind worked. If he let Maya control the relationship, she’d find some way to reject him and move on, not giving them a chance.
“So, Dex, I—”
“Our date tomorrow night. I’m thinking pizza. That work for you?”
She frowned. “You still want those dates?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Well, we just…”
“Fucked? Yeah, we did. And we’ll do it again.”