by Jenika Snow
She found herself unable to hold her head back. Brea moaned deeply and speared her hands into his hair. The short strands were wet and smooth under her fingertips. She used her grip to pull him closer. Her mouth fell open when she felt him suck more of her breast into his eager, hot mouth.
“Oh God,” she said softly.
“Wrap your legs around my waist,” he murmured against her breast. “Let me carry you, hold you.”
She immediately did as he said and felt the stiff outline of his cock pressing against her pussy. “I’m so ready for you.” Never in her life had she spoken so openly about her sexuality, but with Adrian she felt like she could.
His groan vibrated against her nipple, causing a spike of electricity to travel right to her clit. The small bundle of nerves swelled even further, and she pressed her pussy against his shaft, needing to feel more of him.
“I want to be inside of you so badly right now, Brea.”
“God, I want that, too.”
He groaned loudly. “Wrap your arms around me.” When she did, he removed his arms from around her and with deft fingers pulled her panties off and set them on the rocky ground beside them. Adrian ran his finger down the center of her sex, parting her folds and then pushing the digit inside of her.
“You’re so slick with your need for me.”
“Please,” she whispered.
“Shhh, don’t worry, baby. I’m going to take care of you.” His groan of need filled her with longing. Her inner walls squeezed his finger seemingly on their own, as if they were doing all the thinking right now. When he added a second finger, she was forced to bite her lip to stop her moan from spilling.
“Don’t hold back.” Words so deep and rough they sounded ominous, Adrian’s voice whispered over her flesh. He continued to suck at her nipple, alternating breasts until the flesh felt tender and heated. He gripped her ass, holding her to him as he pressed his cock against her, mimicking the act of fucking and making her wish they were doing the real thing.
The pool was shallow enough for Adrian to stand, the water just touching his shoulders and giving him enough leverage that he could swivel his hips, press them up and into her so she grew closer and closer to climaxing.
She wanted to reach down and pull his boxer briefs down, grip his cock, and shove it deep inside of her. He used the free hand that gripped her ass to reach between their bodies and pull his shaft free. He removed his fingers from her clenching pussy and started rubbing the tip of his dick along her folds, parting the lips and driving her insane with desire.
“God, baby, you’re driving me fucking crazy.” The crest of him teased her clit, causing the tiny bud to engorge even further. Faster and faster he rubbed himself along her folds, skittering along her pussy hole, yet moving away so quickly she wasn’t able to impale herself.
“Baby, as much as I want to drive right into you without anything in our way, I didn’t bring any condoms.” Hot breath tickled her ear, and she could hear the carnal need in his voice. He wanted her, just like she wanted him, but they were at an impasse. She didn’t say anything, just closed her eyes and absorbed the feel of him. She was so close to coming that the very thought of telling him to stop was abhorrent.
“You’re close, aren’t you, pretty girl?” His mouth was back on her throat, licking and sucking. “I’m going to make you come so fucking hard.” He added a little more pressure to her clit, and just like he’d promised, she exploded. Maybe she would be mortified later, but right now she rubbed herself on him, riding the high of pleasure.
When she came back to reality, she opened her eyes and saw Adrian watching her with a hungry gaze. She wanted to feel his cock inside of her, but the risk of getting pregnant was not something she could even entertain right now, not with where she was at in her life.
“Maybe we can pick this back up in the room?”
“God, I hope so.” He chuckled and kissed her. He held her for long moments and then helped her out of the pool of water. She stood there, her bra transparent, the bottom half of her body exposed. Picking up her pants, she debated putting on her wet panties but decided against it. She slipped her shirt on, the material instantly getting wet from her damp skin. Putting on wet jeans was damn near impossible, and as she shimmied her ass into them, she heard Adrian chuckling.
When she finally had them on, she looked at Adrian. He had this hard expression on his face.
“As much as I like what you’re wearing,” he said and swallowed, “I’m going to end up beating some guy’s ass because your tight little nipples are poking through your shirt.” He walked over to her and leaned in to kiss her. “Here, sweetheart.”
His shirt hung from his fingers, and she gratefully took it. Keeping her front toward him, she peeled off her top and bra and lifted her gaze to his. He stood there watching her, water sloughing off him in tiny droplets. There was a moment where she stood there, enjoying the view of him half-naked. A drop of water slid down the hard planes of his abdomen and soaked into his boxer briefs.
“The way you’re looking at me wants me to say fuck it and let everyone get a view of me claiming my woman again.”
A shiver coursed through her at his deep words. When she had her bottoms on and his shirt, she watched in feminine appreciation as he removed his underwear and slipped on his pants. When he caught her looking at him, her cheeks heated and she glanced down, picking at the hem of the tee. It went well past her thighs, but she didn’t care. It smelled like Adrian, and she felt a sense of safety knowing something of his was wrapped around her.
He was right. They did get quite a few looks as they walked back to his vehicle, but they were all from the women who couldn’t help but gawk at his bare chest. Jealousy was an ugly trait, but she couldn’t help as it rose up and claimed her. She found herself moving closer to him, pressing her side to his, which resulted in a rich chuckle coming from him. Cutting a narrow-eyed glance up at him, she knew damn well her jealousy had been transparent.
“Is my girl jealous?”
She pursed her lips, never before having felt jealousy over women looking at her man. “Kind of hard not to when half the female population on this beach can’t keep their eyes off you.” She smiled. “Then again, I can’t really blame them.”
“I like you being possessive of me. It makes me feel less like a damn Neanderthal over my obsession for you.”
Her cheeks felt hotter over his admission.
They made their way back to the truck, and he helped her into the passenger’s seat, letting his hands linger on her hips. The height made her eye level with him, and being so close to Adrian had her body heating with remembered pleasure. Still her arousal churned inside of her, on a slow simmer not fully extinguished.
How could she leave when, for the first time in her life, she felt like she was really living?
17
Brea leaned back on the bed, sweat causing her hair to stick to her forehead and the back of her neck. Every possible inch of her body was deliciously sore. Adrian’s passion for her was insatiable. After they’d gotten back to their room, he’d torn the clothes from her body, kissing and touching her like he couldn’t get enough.
“When you are well loved, you have this glow to you. You look fucking irresistible.” Adrian was on his side facing her. Sweat glistened along his body, the physical proof of how hard they’d gone at it covering his muscular form. The sliding door was slightly open, and the breeze from the ocean blew into the room, shifting the sheer curtains so they danced seductively.
“I wish we could just stay here and not worry about life,” she said as she moved to lie on her side and look at him. She was being honest, wanting to be that way always with him. For so long she’d kept how she felt deep down, not admitting it to anyone, not even herself half the time. It felt good to be honest. “We could just lie in bed all day naked.”
His groan was satisfying as he covered her body with his and started kissing her. “I thought you’d worn me out, but…” The hard length of his erecti
on prodded her belly, and a cry of need left her. “Like I said. You’ll definitely be the death of me.” He curved his pelvis into her. “But what a way to die.”
Adrian had just dropped her off at her house, and Brea tossed her overnight bag on the bench by the door. She took a minute to just inhale deeply and savor the foreign feelings running inside of her.
Happiness wasn’t a common emotion that she was familiar with, but she found that the more time she spent with Adrian, the more that emotion grew inside of her, claiming her, taking over all that ugly darkness Cameron had given her.
The steady beep of the alarm system informed her that she needed to quit daydreaming and reset it. She couldn’t let her routine falter. Not now. After she checked the bag under the bench, she went into the bathroom to get cleaned up.
She stared at herself in the mirror. Here she was, still smiling, still feeling like there was one thing she never knew she’d ever have … hope.
Leaving Adrian hurts, like someone ripped my chest open and tore out my heart.
She turned and started the shower, waiting for the water to heat, thinking about how her life could be with Adrian, how she wanted it to be if things were different.
Once she was out of her clothes and in the shower, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the water sliding over her body. It felt good, but not as good as Adrian’s hands on her. Just picturing what they’d done in the hotel room, then in the cave, and then again in their room—Adrian bringing her to climax several times—had her need growing tenfold. He was a patient, thorough lover, making sure she was pleasured before he found his own.
When she leaned against the tiled wall, a small gasp left her at the coldness from it. Her body felt hot, which had nothing to do with the water trickling over her body. It had everything to do with how Adrian made her feel.
But that arousal soon left as worry and heartache settled deep inside of her.
“God, how am I ever going to leave him?”
A fist connected with the side of his jaw, and pain exploded at his temple. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, and Adrian turned his head to the side, spitting it out and then grinning when the white mat became crimson. It had been a while since a fighter had landed a blow on him, but this asshole was holding his own.
“I’ve been waiting for this fight for a very long time.”
His opponent had a Brooklyn accent and was a bulky motherfucker, with barely a neck on his shoulders and a nose that looked like it had been broken one too many times. This guy was a street fighter, one who knew his way around a good alley scrap with brass knuckles and head butts.
“Hope I’m not disappointing.” Adrian dodged another hit and kicked his leg out, causing the guy to fall backward, his head slamming into the mat. A dazed expression passed across his face before he shook his head and stood again. He charged Adrian, using all his brute strength to slam him against the fencing that surrounded the cage.
They grappled for supremacy, and his opponent went for a choke hold. A meaty forearm pressed against his throat, momentarily cutting off his airway. Adrian head butted him, feeling bone slam against bone and then hearing the gruff roar of his opponent right before he stumbled back and gripped his head. Adrian didn’t waste any time.
Using the distraction, he sucked in air and charged forward. The two fighters fell to the ground, arms and legs a tangle of muscle until Adrian got the upper hand. He hauled the guy up to his feet, reared his arm back, and punched him in the jaw once, twice, and on the third time the fighter’s eyes rolled back in his head and he fell to the ground.
He took a step back, breathing heavily, the taste of blood filling his mouth. The crowd roared, but Adrian didn’t care about anything or anyone expect her. He searched the throng of spectators, searching for the only person who mattered to him. When he saw Brea, his heart started beating harder, faster. Yeah, he was way over his head when it came to her, but God did he embrace it.
He wasn’t letting her go.
18
Brea set down the Buttery Nipple and Corona in front of Tristan and Kash. Tristan sat on Kash’s lap, his thick, tattooed arm slung over her shoulder. He murmured something into her ear, which had her grinning and smacking his chest playfully. Ever since she’d met Tristan that first time, their relationship had grown to what she considered friends.
God, friends. It had been so long since she’d had genuine ones, since she’d allowed herself to be close to anyone.
Tristan leaned forward, shouting over the drum of noise that surrounded them. “I know we don’t hang out as much as we should, but I was wondering if you’d like to come to dinner at our place next weekend? It won’t be anything big, just a few of our friends. We’re celebrating Kash’s birthday.”
Before she could answer, she heard glass breaking. Turning her attention toward the sound, she saw two guys getting into a brawl before the bouncers were on them, breaking it up.
“We’ll talk later,” Tristan yelled out over the music and grinned.
Brea made her rounds and then headed back to the bar to get the drink orders filled. As she waited, she looked over her shoulder at the cage, saw Adrian watching her intently, the guy at his feet out cold, blood covering the whiteness of the mat. He was ushered out moments later, disappearing in the sea of bodies.
As she waited for her drink order, she closed her eyes and exhaled. Lifting her arm, she rubbed the back of her neck. She was tired and sore, and it wasn’t even the kind that left a pleasurable hum in her body.
She felt big arms wrap around her, and the spicy male scent of Adrian washed through her.
“You know, watching you makes it hard as hell to concentrate.”
She grinned. The sound of his voice was like verbal sex. Brea turned around in his arms and craned her neck to look at him. He was a big man, but no matter how much he towered over her, no matter how intimidating he might be, he always made her feel safe.
“You shouldn’t let things distract you,” she said on a grin. She placed a hand on his belly, felt the muscles ripple beneath the thin cotton of his shirt, and melted against him.
Everything was so very masculine about him. When he leaned down, his breath stirred the tendrils of hair that had fallen out of her messy bun. A shiver moved through her at the sound of his deep voice.
“I can’t think of a better distraction that would cost me a fight than the image of you.”
It took all her willpower to place her other hand on his stomach and push him away. “You’re going to get me fired if you keep this up.” She grinned, at the moment not caring if she did lose her job over this.
He backed away, his hands raised in surrender, a lopsided grin on his face. “How about we pick this up later tonight at my place?”
Mouth gone dry, she pictured all the things they would “pick back up.” All she could do was nod her response. His grin was sexy as sin.
“You get off soon, right?” She nodded again. “Good.” He took a step toward her and placed his arms on the bar on either side of her. “Meet me at the main doors.” A soft, lingering kiss on her cheek was the only thing she got before he turned and was swallowed by the crowd once again.
Sagging against the bar, she licked her lips. God, she was getting in way over her head. It felt good.
When she turned back around, giving Travis, the bartender on duty, another drink order, all she could think about was Adrian naked. It was enough to make a woman lose her sanity.
Someone bumped into her, jostling her against the bar. It wasn’t unusual for her to get a little battered while working in the underground. There were just too many people walking around, too much adrenaline pumping through the room. Everyone wanted to see the violence, smell the sweat and taste the blood.
The next shove had someone’s hand brushing against the back of her thigh. She turned around, her heart seizing as she swore she saw Cameron in the distance, looking at her right before he disappeared in the crowd.
No, that wasn’t him.
He isn’t here.
Searching the crowd proved that her imagination had ahold of her. Cameron wasn’t here. It was impossible, right? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This wasn’t going to work. She was ruined, a shell of a woman that always looked over her shoulder because her demons followed her.
What she needed to do was get to the shooting range, fire off a few bullets, and relieve some of her tension, picture those slugs going into the center of Cameron’s head.
What kind of relationship could she have? What kind of woman could she be to Adrian when she couldn’t get a grasp of herself?
But I love him.
God, she did.
19
Several days later
The protective glasses that were required for all shooters to wear were securely on the bridge of Brea’s nose. The Colt .45 in her hand felt good. Damn good, and when she took her spot and lifted her arms, aiming the barrel at the black paper body, she pictured Cameron staring back at her.
Anger was an emotion she was familiar with, harbored and stored away until she needed to channel it toward the one person who had ruined everything. She was sick of being a victim, sick of letting everything he’d done ruin what she could have.
She’d avoided Adrian for the most part these last few days, making up excuses on why they couldn’t see each other. It’s not like she didn’t want to, but more because she knew if she saw him, he’d see something was wrong. The very nightmare that she’d possibly seen Cameron in the club stuck to her, consuming her. It had the fear running strong within her.
If she told him, he’d worry, and she knew what she’d seen all those days ago, the image of Cameron, had just been her fear manifesting itself.
There’d been plenty she’d told Adrian, and she should be thankful he wanted to protect her, but the truth was she hated that his strength was what she craved, that his protection made her feel whole. Brea needed to find that for herself, needed to see herself as a woman who could handle the horrors that faced her.