Stealing His Heart

by Diane Alberts

  She shivered. “You’re so…so…”

  “Cocky. But it’s with reason.” He moved even closer. “And trust me, you’ll lose count of how many times you come before I’m inside of you.” He paused. “But you already know what I mean, don’t you? How many times did you come that night?”

  Memories of him going down on her, his hot tongue tasting and teasing and pleasing, hit her hard. Her breath came out harsh and uneven, and she pressed her thighs together. What he said was ridiculous and insane and downright dirty, but damn if it didn’t turn her on. From any other man, it would have sounded outrageous.

  But from him? It was a guarantee.

  She licked her lips. “You’re all empty promises and no follow-through. You say you’ll do all these things, but you haven’t even kissed me yet.”

  “That’s because I haven’t been ready.” He clutched her thigh, precariously close to her core. “Don’t try to read me. Don’t try to guess my next move. You have no idea what I’m capable of anymore, sweetheart.”

  When his thumb brushed against her clitoris, she barely managed to refrain from crying out. God, it felt good. And she needed more. But not at this price. He kept trying to push her around, but she wasn’t so sure she wanted to let him.

  If, no when, they came together in bed, it should be on equal footing.

  “You don’t know who I am anymore, either.” It took all of her self-control, but she shoved his fingers away from her. “You seem to think I’m some spineless girl who’ll swoon if you frown at me in the right way. That you’ll scare me away if you’re bossy in bed. Well, here’s a news flash. I don’t scare easily, and I won’t submit to you unless I want to. So if I give you control, then I obviously don’t mind if you take it.”

  His nostrils flared. “You have no idea how demanding I am.”

  They were approaching the bottom, but she slid her hand into his lap anyway. Over his pants, she squeezed his dick. Leaning in, she flicked her tongue over his lower lip, barely touching him. “You seem to be forgetting that I’ve been in your arms already. You didn’t scare me then, and you don’t scare me now.”

  Pulling back, she hopped off the Ferris wheel and glanced over her shoulder at him, weighing the effect her words had had on him. He climbed off a little bit more slowly, supporting himself with his good leg. Part of her wanted to help him, but she knew instinctively that it wouldn’t mesh well with his independence. So she didn’t.

  She stood there waiting, her heart racing at the look he was giving her. He watched her as if he’d like to strip her naked right here at the carnival and do bad, bad things to her. He walked right past her, grabbing her elbow and hauling her behind a deserted brick building. “What are you—?”

  “Enough.” As soon as they rounded the corner, he pressed her against the wall and trapped her hands in his one. “You think you can handle me? Let me remind you exactly how ‘demanding’ I can be.”

  Her heart surged. “I—”

  Effectively cutting her off, he slammed his mouth down on hers, kissing her with so much passion and fire that she should have proved spontaneous combustion really happened to humans on a daily basis. That’s how hot his kiss was. His mouth moved over hers, and he dipped his fingers between her thighs, pressing against her aching core.

  It was barely a caress. Barely a touch.

  But it drove her insane.

  She whimpered into his mouth, curling her hands into empty fists. He broke off the kiss, his fingers moving faster and harder. “Don’t come until I tell you to. You’re not allowed. You understand me?” he asked, his voice hard.

  She swallowed a cry. “What? No. I can’t—”

  “Do. Not. Come.”

  His fingers moved faster, and he claimed her mouth again, sucking her lower lip in between his teeth and biting down just enough to sting a tiny bit. As he kissed her, he kept touching her, driving her closer to the edge. She moaned, rolling her hips impatiently. He pulled back, ending the torment.

  “You’re trying to come. I told you not to.”

  “But I can’t—”

  “You disobey me like that in bed, then you’ll be punished. You disobey me, I stop.” He gripped her butt hard, his fingers biting into her skin. “You understand me, sweetheart?”

  She nodded frantically, her stomach tightening in a small ball of need and frustration. “Yes. I…I do.”

  “Good girl.” He nibbled on her neck and moved his fingers between her thighs again. The second he touched her aching core, she moaned. “What do you want, sweetheart? Tell me.”

  “I want…” She bit down on her lip. “God, I want to come. Please.”

  He grunted in satisfaction and increased the pressure. “You’re allowed to come this time. I’ll let you have this one freebie, but next time? You’ll beg me first.”

  Allowed to come? He couldn’t be serious…

  She closed her eyes, the need he brought to life getting even more intense at his cocky words. “Oh my God. Yes.”

  “Now.”

  He kissed her again, still massaging her throbbing center through her pants. Within seconds, she came, stars bursting in front of her eyes as she sagged against the wall. He ended the kiss, pulling back enough to study her.

  Withdrawing his touch, he patted her cheek. “That’s about as nice as I get in bed, Tara. From here on out, I’m not going to hold back. Keep your distance, or pay the price.”

  She gasped, blinking up at the clouds. If that had all been a ploy to scare her off, it had failed miserably. If anything, it only made her want him more. “Oh my God.”

  “You already said that.”

  “I can’t believe you just…we just…here.”

  “Yeah. We did.” Stepping back, his fingers clenched into fists and then opened at his sides. “And now playtime is over. It’s time to go home and get to work.”

  “What?” If by work he meant bringing her home and doing all of those things to her that he’d mentioned earlier…then hell yeah. If he meant working on the code and making her bash her head against the wall, then hell to the no. “But—”

  “No buts.” He slashed his hand through the air. “I’m not that guy you knew anymore, Tara. I don’t want to play games. I want to get my job the fuck done. That’s it.”

  She licked her lips, her heart plummeting to the ground. “But you could be.”

  “No, I can’t. I’ve seen things. Done things. Things that don’t let me be that guy anymore, Tara. Ever.” He plucked her toy cat out of her arms and shook it under her nose. “This man who wins you things and flirts with you isn’t me. That’s the old me. The new me wants to get our work the fuck done so you can go back to your life—and I can go back to mine.”

  “I liked the old you better.” She snatched the cat out of his grasp and hugged it. “The new you sucks.”

  He looked away. “Lucky for you, you won’t have to know him much longer.”

  For some reason…that made her sad.

  Not happy.

  Chapter Six

  Later that night, Tara slipped outside and crept up to Jake’s car. It took her only three minutes to do her damage, but it felt like an eternity. Heck, this whole day had felt like an eternity—from the orgasm against a brick wall that wouldn’t leave her alone, to the endless evening of questions and work.

  All night long, Jake had been making her replay what she’d done in the safe over and over and over again until she was ready to freaking explode. She was tempted to tell him the truth to get him to shut the hell up, but she resisted that urge. Barely.

  When the phone had rung moments before, she’d sprung into action the second he closed the study door for some privacy. She flopped back onto the couch in the nick of time, sliding into the corner as he rounded the corner. She did her best to act calm and collected, but she couldn’t hide her harsh breathing from bolting inside.

  He froze on the threshold, brow furrowed. “What were you doing? Where did you go?”

  Of course he’d ca
ught her. Damn it. “I went outside for some fresh air.”

  He raised a brow, but didn’t sit. “Fresh air.”

  “Yep.” She stood, stretching her arms high over her head. His gaze dipped low, then slammed back into her. He had a way of looking at her that made her want to rip her clothes off and beg to be touched. Especially after this afternoon, when he’d rocked her world and then walked away as if he hadn’t been turned on at all. After telling her that next time, he would be rough. Who did that, anyway?

  Hesitating, she lowered her arms and shifted on her feet. “Do you have any wine?”

  “Nope.” He shook his head. “I only have beer and bourbon.”

  “Bourbon it is.” She headed for the kitchen, and he followed on her heels. “Where is it?”

  He grabbed the bottle out of the cabinet, and then plunked two tumblers down next to it. Swiftly, he removed the cap and poured two fingers into the glasses. “Was tonight so bad that you need to drink? We’ve barely started—and you still haven’t given me anything I can work with. We’ve got one more day before all hell breaks loose.”

  “Yes, it was that bad.” She picked up her glass, saluted him, and drained it. His eyes widened, and she slammed it down on the counter. “Fill me up for real this time.”

  He finished his own drink before refilling both of their glasses. “You’re not playing around, are you?”

  “I never play around when it comes to the important things.”

  She grabbed her cup and headed into the living room. After sitting directly in the middle, she patted the spot next to her. He watched her warily, but sat anyway.

  “But when it comes to work, you’re a total slacker. Interesting.”

  She stiffened. “That’s not true. I’m a hard worker who doesn’t stop till the job is done.”

  He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I know. I didn’t mean—”

  “Yeah. Yeah, you did.” She frowned at him. “I’m not a slacker. I don’t have the information you want.”

  Technically, she had it…but wouldn’t be sharing it. Not only did it go against her code, but if she told him how to fix it…he’d be gone. And they’d be over.

  She wasn’t ready for that yet. She’d just found him again.

  “I know. I’m sorry.” He took a smaller sip of his bourbon, then leaned back in the couch. He spun the bourbon in his cup, creating a tiny little whirlpool. “You look tired.”

  “That’s because I am.” She took a big gulp of her drink as she examined the room for the millionth time. “Being questioned for hours at a time takes a toll.”

  Tipping his head back, he swallowed the rest of his drink and set his cup down. “Sorry.”

  She looked at the photo next to her. Christine was red-haired and blue-eyed. She was absolutely gorgeous. So was the brown-haired, blue-eyed man in the photo with her—presumably her boyfriend. They were quite the couple. “She looks happy.”

  He stared at the photo. For a second, his expression went soft. “She is. She moved back here last year.”

  “She did?”

  “Yep.” He twisted his lips. “She’s vacationing in Mexico with her boyfriend, Tyler, right now, but she lives ten minutes away.”

  She hesitated. “Isn’t there anyone else in your life, besides them?”

  He cocked a brow. “Like…?”

  “A girlfriend. A best friend. A buddy. A freaking cat.” She finished her drink and set it down. “Heck, anyone.”

  “I hate cats. You know that.”

  He was right—she did know that. “Okay. What about a girl?”

  “There’s no one,” he said, his tone flat. “There was a fiancée a long time ago, but she left when I came home from war.”

  She gripped her knees. She needed to know more about him. Understand him better. He said he’d seen things he hadn’t wanted to see. Done things he hadn’t wanted to do. She could only guess he’d meant when he’d been at war, but she wanted to know more.

  She wanted to help him…if that was possible. “Why did she leave?”

  “Because she didn’t want to deal with a cripple as a fiancé. That’s why.” He stood up, fists balled. “Why are you asking me these questions?”

  “Because I care about you. I want to know what happened to change you. What turned you into the man you are today.” She swallowed hard. “How did you meet her?”

  He frowned, but didn’t walk away. “I met her at a restaurant. She was a hostess and a model. She told me all the things I wanted to hear, and I thought I loved her.” He shrugged as if he didn’t care, but his stare wasn’t as hard as his tone. “Then I came back and she couldn’t handle the new me. Didn’t want anything to do with the mess I’d become. She left, and I’ve been keeping to myself ever since. It’s better that way.”

  Her heart twisted. That was the second time he’d said that. All because some weak-bellied girl hadn’t been able to handle the terror that men like Jake often brought home with them. She’d left him all alone without a second glance. The little bitch.

  “Did you love her?”

  His fingers flexed on hers. “No. I don’t think I know what love really is,” he admitted, avoiding her gaze. “And I don’t want to, either. I don’t need it. I’m not the loving—or lovable—kind of guy. I think I showed you that earlier.”

  She hated this faceless woman for doing this to him. For making him think he didn’t need someone in his life. Now, more than ever, Tara wanted to get him into bed with her. He needed to see that he could still be loved. Could still love.

  She ran her thumb over his knuckles. “How long ago was that?”

  “A year or so.” He lifted a shoulder. “Why?”

  “And have there been…” She broke off, not sure how to ask this question without sounding nosy. “Have there been other women since her?”

  He rubbed his jaw and turned away, giving her all the answer she needed without saying a word. “Jesus, Tara. Who the hell asks a guy that kind of question?”

  “Me.” She locked in on him. “There hasn’t been anyone, has there?”

  “You already know the answer, I’m sure.” He rocked back on his heels. “But if you need to hear it, then no. There hasn’t been anyone else.”

  He hadn’t been with anyone for a year? That was a heck of a long time for a man who was as sexy as him. “There’s been no one at all? Not a one-night stand?”

  He shook his head.

  “…But you’re hot.” She let her lashes drift down. It was time to give in to the undying need to be in his arms. It was time to submit. She toyed with the hem of her shirt. “Really hot.”

  He met her stare dead-on. “As I showed you earlier, I’m a bit different in the bed than I am out of it. When I fuck a woman, it has to be my way. Things have to be my way, without reservation, or I’m not interested. I don’t give women control over me. Not anymore. It’s not easy to find women who are willing to do that.”

  She moved away slightly. Her whole body responded to his words, volunteering for the role of his lover without a single freaking sound. “That must be hard.”

  “You have no idea how hard I—no, it is.”

  She turned back to him quickly. “Was that another joke?”

  “I make them occasionally,” he admitted, his lips quirking up in the left corner. “Don’t be so surprised each time.”

  She cupped his cheek, pressing her finger into the dimple in his chin. “You should smile more often,” she whispered, leaning in closer. “It’s hot.”

  “You don’t know what you’re starting.” He stiffened and grasped her wrist, smile slipping away. “Stop playing, before it’s too late.”

  “No.” She climbed onto his lap. “I liked what you did to me earlier. I liked it all.”

  He grasped her waist, but he didn’t push her away. He held her there. “I’m no good for you. You deserve better. I know it, and you know it. But I can’t keep resisting you if you keep touching me. Or if you keep looking at me like that.”

&
nbsp; “Like what?” she murmured, jerking on the hair at the back of his neck. “What’s wrong with the way I’m looking at you?”

  He pressed her down against him again, while surging at the same time. “You’re looking at me like I’m this guy who could treat you right, but I don’t think I am. Not anymore. Please, Tara, walk away.”

  “I don’t want to walk away. Tell me about your rules.”

  A small, almost broken sound escaped him, and his hands tightened on her hips. “I’m not going to warn you away again.”

  “Then don’t.” She rolled her hips against his erection. “Tell me your rules.”

  “You’ll listen to me. I’ll be in complete control. If I tell you to stop, you stop. If I tell you to drop to your knees, you’ll do it without asking why. If I tell you not to come, you won’t fucking come.” His hands snaked up her back and threaded into her loose hair. He lowered her face so that their lips were almost touching. “In bed, you’ll answer to me without thinking twice. If you can do that, you’ll be very, very happy. I promise you that.”

  Her stomach twisted into a tight knot at his words. God, he was so alluring. So damn…dominant. She’d never have thought that would turn her on, but it did. “What exactly does doing everything you tell me to do entail? What if it…if it…hurts?”

  “I would never hurt you, Tara. I promise,” he vowed, latching gazes with her. “Not like you’re thinking. You’d like everything I did to you, but you should still walk away. Save yourself, Tara, because I can’t do it anymore. I’ve been trying to get over you for years, but I’m too far gone to try anymore. Run, Tara. Run away.”

  He’d been trying to get over her for years? The knowledge sent a heady rush of excitement shooting through her. “I’m not going anywhere.” She strained to get closer, to kiss him, but he pulled back. “What? What’s wrong?”

  “You need to say the words.” He gave her a narrow look. One that clearly implied he wanted her to answer him first. “There can be no doubt.”

  “I accept your terms. Now kiss me, already.”

  He rubbed her hair between his fingers, tugging playfully. “First rule? Don’t boss me around. You’re allowed to beg and plead all you want, but never give me an order. That’s my job. Got it?”