Breathless (Players to Men)

by Georgia Lyn Hunter

  “This is a surprise.” Tanner’s voice pulled me back.

  I turned from the window, leaned against the sill, resting my hands on the cool ledge. “The lofts in SoMa, we have any available?”

  “I’m not sure. Why?”

  “I need a place. Logan’s lease is up.”

  “Let me check.” Tanner buzzed his secretary. “Norma, see if any lofts are available at the warehouse down in SoMa.”

  “Yes, of course, Mr. Harding.”

  Tanner rang off. “So?”

  One word. So many questions.

  “I made peace with the old man, like you wanted. Congratulations. You’re my babysitter. I start tomorrow.”

  Amusement glimmered briefly in my cousin’s usually stoic features. “Good. Come on, then, let’s show you around. Be prepared to stay a while. And lose the bad boy look for work.”

  I snorted. “Yeah, become another suit. Got it.”

  Tanner’s lips twitched in amusement. He didn’t smile. He rarely did. But then when you lost your father, lost everything because of a horrible scandal, smiling was definitely not on the daily list.

  “Hang on a sec, I need to make a call.” I retrieved my cell from my pocket and speed-dialed.

  At the breathy voice on the other end, a smile tugged my mouth. “What are you doing?”

  She laughed. “Talking to you.”

  “Brat. I meant before that.”

  “Reading—a very sexy book—and imagining it’s my mouth wrapped around your cock, licking your piercing...”

  I heard the smile in her voice, knew she was fucking with me, but my cock didn’t give a shit. The fucker hardened painfully, wanting her. “You’re in so much trouble,” I lowered my voice. “I’m going to spank your ass for turning me on in the office, then I’m going to fuck you so hard, you won’t walk for a week.”

  “Promises, promises,” she teased in a husky voice.

  I growled—yeah, I did that shit. “I’m going to be late. And Logan, I want you naked the moment I arrive. I’ll call you later.” Ending the call, I looked up to find Tanner watching me with a considering stare. “What?”

  “That talk works for you?”

  I smirked. “I have her, don’t I?”

  Tanner shook his head. “Let’s go.”

  ***

  Later that afternoon, I headed back to Pine, more than ready to get Logan naked. I called her.

  Again, her breathy voice answered. “Max, I’m so sorry. I’m not home; I’m at the store. Kate had an emergency. Pierre thrashed her place. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “Dammit, Logan, I don’t care about Kate. You just got out of the hospital—”

  “I’m not doing anything, I promise. I’m delegating work to a girl who sometimes assists me.”

  Biting back my irritation, I said, “I’ll pick you up. What time?”

  “Hmm, five would be safer.”

  “Okay. And Logan, I want you on your knees for this prolonged torture. My balls are turning blue.”

  A husky laugh escaped her. “My mouth will make it all better for you, Mr. Meade-Sinclair.”

  A half hour later, I park outside the apartment. As I got out of the SUV, a sports car with tinted windows idling on the opposite side of the street snagged my attention. Hell, this was a busy street with cars hanging about at times. But an itch bore down my back. All my senses tingled, and not in a good way. No, not reporters. Those bastards would be clamoring around me by now. About to cross over and find out who the hell was watching me or the apartment, Ray ran down the steps.

  “Hey, Maximus,” she called out, and the BMW opposite sped off. “Wow, you got a haircut, cool. All set for the big day, huh?”

  Dammit, these sisters talked. I had to remember that. Logan had told me about the Kama Sutra book Ray threatened to get me to satisfy Logan.

  “Yeah, but I’m only the lowly assistant to my cousin,” I murmured, my attention on the disappearing Z4.

  “Hardly lowly.” I heard the grin in her voice. “You’ll knock ‘em on their asses—people will fear crossing you when you have that whole dangerous look going for you. Now, I’ve gotta run, or I’ll be late for my shift.”

  I glanced back at Ray. “I’ll give you a ride.”

  She waved it aside. “Nah, I’m good.”

  “Wait. You know anyone with a gray BMW Z4?”

  Frowning, she shook her head. “No…wait, Devyn’s family has one.” She hastily scanned the street and looked back at me. “Was he here?”

  “I’m not sure.” But a slow anger started to ignite within me. If that bastard was back, he would regret it.

  “I wouldn’t worry about him.” Ray hiked her backpack on her shoulder. “He’ll probably shit his pants if he crosses your path again. God, I’m so glad Ila found you. See you later.” With a little wave, she sprinted for the bus that had stopped a building away.

  Irritation still searing me, I glanced back at the apartment I had thought to crash at for a night. Instead, I’d ended up staying because of a pair of pretty amber eyes.

  Though there was still an hour to go, I couldn’t wait for five. Kate could go hang. I needed Logan. And with that damn douche ex on the loose, I had to make sure she was all right.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Ila

  “Bye, Gail, thanks for the hand,” I called out to my sometimes helper, a girl with shocking pink hair and piercings marching down both her ears.

  “No probs,” she said, her tongue playing with her lip piercing. “I love doing this, but I don’t have a degree, which seems to be a requirement when working for Kate. Poor Pierre. He should find a woman who likes him for more than for his beautiful face and body. Hell, I’d go for him myself if I was straight.”

  Laughing, I walked out of the storeroom and found Kate and Pierre at the front, arguing.

  I felt for the guy, fighting to be with a difficult woman. I was so grateful Max had pulled me out of my hermit life and shown me how to love again. Just thinking of him had a smile curving my mouth. He wanted me on my knees, did he? I couldn’t wait. I’d show that cocky Mr. Meade-Sinclair exactly how I could control him.

  “Kate, I’m leaving.”

  The woman gave me a terse nod, her attention fixed on Pierre’s tight features.

  What the hell. “Give the guy a break, Kate. He loves you,” I said. There. Now she could fire my ass if she wanted.

  Slinging my leather handbag over my shoulder, I freed my mane from the band holding it back and walked outside and eyed the choked street. It was just past four. Max had already texted me that he was on his way. With this congested traffic, he’d be a while.

  Absently, I rubbed my bandaged wrist. Max had threatened to stop me from driving permanently if I ever forgot my seatbelt again. It didn’t help that his mother had unclipped hers right before the accident—

  “Ila?”

  I turned. Aw, damn. Devyn. His hair was disheveled, and his eyes were bloodshot like he’d been drinking—or hadn’t slept in days. He looked a mess. I was grateful Max wasn’t here. I had to deal with this quickly, and hopefully, it would be the last I saw of him.

  “Why are you here? I think you said quite enough the last time I saw you—”

  “You blocked me. I had to. Please, Ila…” He dragged his fingers through his hair, making it more of a mess. “What I said at your home? It was wrong. I was so mad you’d moved on. The thing is, I know I wrecked everything between us. But I can’t give you up—I just can’t.”

  “Devyn.” I blew out a tired breath. “Let it go. We are over. Give Simi a chance. Hell, she wanted you enough to risk the wrath of my family. I’m with Max now. I love him.”

  “No!” Devyn’s lips thinned, he grabbed my injured hand and hauled me to him. I stumbled. An agonized cry escaped me. Pain shot through my damaged wrist, spreading up my arm. “Devyn, stop!”

  He didn’t let go, pulling me along faster. He reeked of liquor.

  I could do little with my injuries an
d head fuzzy from pain meds as he dragged me toward a Z4 parked at the curb.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because you can’t see straight,” he snapped. “I’m taking you to our cabin in the Adirondacks. You just need time. Without him around, you’ll see we belong together.”

  “Let me go, dammit!” I yanked at his fingers, but his grip tightened even more. Tears blurred my eyes, the agony escalating.

  A screech of tires echoed, followed by honking horns. The next minute, Devyn was ripped away from me, and I stumbled free.

  Max grabbed Devyn by his shirt and slammed him against the Z4.

  My relief swept in and out like the tide as Max hammered Devyn. A crowd had gathered. Any second, someone would snap a picture or video the beating. If this got into the papers…

  I darted over. “Max, don’t!” I grabbed his arm. “He’s not worth it.

  Max didn’t budge. He trapped Devyn with an arm pinned to his throat. “Don’t you ever put your fucking hands on her again, you pathetic asshole. You lost her, too bad. She’s mine. Come anywhere near her or her apartment again, and I’ll have a restraining order slapped on you so fast, it will make your fucking head spin!”

  “What?” I let go of Max and wheeled around to Devyn. “What the hell, Devyn? Why were you watching my place?”

  “Because I want you back,” he wheezed, cutting Max a furious look. He swiped the blood from his nose. “For you, she’s just a conquest. She’ll make you work for her. I ought to know. But I love her, I have for nine years. I’ll wait another nine if I have to, although it probably won’t take more than a year for you to grow bored and move on to your next hookup,” Devyn spat.

  A tic working his jaw, Max pulled his cell from his pocket. Stabbed at the display then slapped the phone against his ear. A faint voice drifted through. “911…”

  Devyn straightened from the car. His gaze whipped to me, and as if finally accepting the truth, he said, “I had you first. You’ll always be my whore—”

  Max moved. I cut him off and punched Devyn hard in the face. His nose bled more.

  Ow, ow, ow! I hissed and bit back a curse, my knuckles hurting like hell. Great. Now both hands were sore. The onlookers gathering around laughed. But it had felt damn good. Hell, it felt liberating.

  “…an assault on…” As Max gave the address, he drew me close. I snuggled into his arms, my heart still racing, so glad he was there. He rubbed his chin on my hair. Finishing the call, Max took my hand and gently stroked the reddening knuckles then pressed his lips to them. “You okay?”

  I nodded. I just wanted to leave, but Max wanted to make sure the cops had Devyn first. He got two burly guys from the crowd to keep watch over Devyn while we waited. And he held me.

  ***

  The silence on the ride back to the apartment was thick and heavy. Max parked the SUV then just sat there. The cops had hauled Devyn away for drunk driving, assault, and attempted kidnapping. I really, really wished it hadn’t come to that. But at least it was over.

  “You coming inside?” I asked him.

  “He’ll get out and be back again.”

  “That’s his problem.” I leaned across the console and kissed his cheek. “Because it’s always going to be you.”

  I got out of the SUV and made my way to the apartment. I realized it was harder for him, considering I hadn’t told him that I loved him until two nights ago.

  Entering the silent apartment, I dropped my bag on the sideboard when movement near the door caught my eye.

  Max walked in. “I’m sorry I lost it, Logan. When I saw him assault you…I wanted to kill him.”

  “Forget him.” I slid my palms up his chest, brushing his nipple piercings. A shudder rippled through him. “I missed you today.”

  With a low groan, he put his mouth on mine and kissed me deeply, desperately as if needing to reaffirm I was with him. He reached for the hem of my top and pulled it off then ushered me into my studio. The door shut.

  I toed off my sneakers and unbuttoned my jeans, a little awkwardly, especially with only one hand.

  “Let me.” Max brushed my fingers aside, lowered to his heels, and dragged my jeans and underwear off. He pushed my legs apart, spread me with his fingers and sucked me slow and decadently, tasting me, his teeth lightly scraping my sensitive flesh. I grabbed his head, tugging him closer. He stopped.

  “Max—” I moaned in protest.

  “So impatient.” He bit my thigh lightly. Rising to his feet, he swept me into his arms and set me down on the futon. Everything in me focused on him as he undressed. Tall, muscled, and so hot with those piercings. My body throbbed, desperately needing him to ease the ache inside me.

  The moment he sat, he pulled me astride him, and his thick, hard length slid against my slick core. I grasped his cock and thumbed the barbell there, stroking the wet tip. “I love this thing.”

  He growled, his hands tightening on my hips. “Quit playing with me, Logan, it’s been too damn long.”

  “One day?” I teased.

  His molten gaze pinned mine, along with a need I’d seen the first time he kissed me. “Put my cock inside you. I want you to feel every inch of me sliding into you.”

  The throbbing between my thighs grew. Fisting his shaft, I lifted onto my knees and rubbed the head and the barbell there along my cleft. He shuddered.

  Slowly, I pushed down. Inch by excruciating inch. My breath caught at the indescribable sensation of his piercing rubbing against my inner walls as he stretched and filled me. Slowly, I withdrew, loving that draggy feeling. Then, just as slowly, I eased back down halfway, only to rise again.

  Eyes narrowing, he grasped my nipple with his lips and tugged in retaliation. “Max!” I breathed, the firm pull rushing all the way to my core, making me wetter.

  He yanked me down, his cock completely impaling me. I gasped at the unbelievable fullness pulsing inside me.

  “You’re still so damn tight,” he growled around my nipple. “No matter how many times I take you. Ride me, Logan. Fuck me. Hard.” His big palms slid lower, squeezing my bottom.

  His raw words had my own desire ramping. Holding onto his shoulder with one hand, I moved on him. Up. Down. Harder. Faster…

  And an incredible pressure grew inside me. I rode him, my clit rubbing against his shaft. Delicious friction built. He shifted, impaling me deeper. I moaned. God, but I was addicted to him.

  His hands left my hips to squeeze my breasts, his thumbs flicking my nipples. His gaze held mine. “I love those little sounds you make, Logan. It’s so fucking hot.”

  I whimpered. I was so close. My body clamped down on him, my nails digging into his shoulder. He moved his hand between our bodies and rolled my clit with his thumb, and then he pinched me.

  “Maaax!” My mind split. I was hauled up and thrown over, pleasure like a flood sweeping through my body as I fell apart.

  Hands on my hips, Max moved faster, harder into me, then he stiffened beneath me, his harsh groan filling my ears as he found his own release inside me.

  Panting hard from the explosion of my orgasm, I buried my face in his neck. He trailed his lips along my jaw. We remained that way for several minutes, still joined, just our heaving breaths filling the room.

  Being with him this way, the horrible incident with Devyn faded. Only the man holding me occupied my thoughts, my heart—

  “Oh, shit!” I reared back, scrambling off him, but his hands tightened on my hips as I fought to break free. “We forgot a condom!”

  “I’m clean, Logan. You’re on the pill, right?”

  “I went on it a week ago. It’s too soon, Max! What if—”

  “Shh, it’ll be okay.” He kissed my mouth again, then shifted and pulled me to lie down on his chest. “If it happens, we’ll deal.”

  Okay, I wasn’t going to panic. I wasn’t. Several breaths later, I managed to calm down. A little.

  “You good now?”

  At his teasing tone, I sighed and nodded. “Don
’t you know, dancing girl, I’m with you until I take my last breath?”

  At the tenderness in his gaze, the love, my heart expanded. I settled. Yes, Max would be. But I was selfish enough to want this wonderful guy to myself for a while longer.

  I played with his nipple ring. “So how did it go this morning with your father?”

  “Unexpectedly well. I start tomorrow. I’m going to complete my studies part-time.”

  Surprised, I rested my chin on his chest and looked up at him. The part of me that worried he wanted to hurt his father by rejecting who he was, eased. I was glad he’d finally made peace with this part of his life. Maybe because I had loving parents, I wanted that for him, too.

  “He must have been surprised when you turned up?”

  “Yeah…” Then Max told me the sad truth about his parents, and I felt his hurt as if it were my own. “Logan—”

  “About that,” I said, wanting to take his mind off his pain. “Why do you still call me Logan? I think, maybe, you have a secret fetish, hoping I’m a guy or something—eeek!”

  He flipped me onto my back, trapping me with that hard, sexy body of his. His gaze turned hooded, seductive. “I guess I’ll just have to take a look then.”

  Laughing, I tried to yank him back up with my good hand, but he trapped it against my stomach. Sliding down my belly and between my thighs, he spread me open. Heat scorched my face.

  Oh, God! I covered my face with my other arm.

  “Nope. Not a guy, I can safely report. This is the sweetest little clit ever.” He kissed me there and after we’d just made love. Then he pulled my arm away from my face, and said, “The first time I saw you, I tripped over my feet trying to get to you.”

  “Right.” I rolled my eyes “I remember the first time clearly.”

  His scarred eyebrow lifted, giving him a menacing air. “Yeah?”

  “You were stark naked. I couldn’t take my eyes off you—”

  “Ah!” He tickled my ribs. “Knew you took a peek at my dick.”