Burnout: A Legal Heat Novella

by Sarah Castille

  “You don’t have—”

  “Babe.” He raised an eyebrow. “A man says yes, he means yes.” As if he would turn her down.

  Sophie huffed and pushed open the door. Ace followed her in and paused to watch her stomp up the stairs.

  “You’re making me reconsider my offer,” she called out.

  Ace grinned. “Stomp harder. Makes your ass wiggle. And those boots are fucking hot.”

  A few minutes later, Sophie opened the door to her apartment and flicked on the light, gesturing to a sea of furniture and boxes. “Sorry about the mess. The movers just brought my stuff today. They were supposed to put everything in the right room, unpack, and clear away the boxes, but they just dumped it and ran. I called the company and filed a complaint, but since I prepaid for the move, I don’t think anything is going to happen.”

  Ace frowned. What kind of moving company would leave a woman to move heavy furniture and boxes on her own?

  When she headed for the kitchen, Ace pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the shipping label, then texted Kickstand with instructions to investigate the company. Now.

  “You want a drink?” She pulled two glasses from a box and placed them on the counter.

  Ace sat on the lonely barstool at the kitchen bar across from her. “You gonna try and poison me again?”

  “You’re no good to me dead.”

  “Good for what?”

  Her cheeks flushed, and her hands curled around the bottom of her shirt. With a quick glance up through her lashes, she tugged the shirt over her head. “One night.”

  * * *

  For a long moment, Ace didn’t move.

  Oh God. What if she’d misread him, and his hesitation outside had been genuine? Maybe he wasn’t really attracted to her. Maybe he’d taken her home simply because Jason had asked, with no ulterior motive in mind.

  “Take off your bra.”

  Or maybe not.

  Sophie’s breath left her in a rush. Twenty minutes with her hips pressed up against Ace’s ass, the deep vibration of the motorcycle between her thighs, and it was all she could do to act civilized once they walked into her apartment. Hands trembling, she unhooked her bra and slid the red satin straps down her arms, dropping it on the floor.

  “Fuck, Sophie,” he rasped. “You have beautiful breasts. Touch them for me.”

  She sighed inwardly. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. If she wanted to get herself off, she could do that much more efficiently with the toys hidden in one of the boxes strewn across the living room. “How about you come over here and touch them yourself?”

  His jaw tightened. “Can’t. Promised Jason I’d watch out for you tonight. Wouldn’t be right if I took advantage. So best thing is for me to stay over here and for you to stay over there. But if you’re minded to strip, I’ll be happy to watch.”

  “And then what?”

  “Then I’m gonna suffer for the rest of the night because you are the sexiest fucking woman I’ve ever met.”

  Sophie’s shoulders slumped, and she dropped her head back and groaned. “Just my luck. I pick a badass misogynistic biker for my first one-night stand, and he turns out to have a conscience.”

  That got him out of his seat.

  Ace rounded the bar and took a step toward her, and then another, as if pulled by an invisible thread. “You’ve never done this before?”

  She heaved an exasperated sigh. “Obviously not. I’m standing over here, half-undressed. You’re standing over there with all your clothes on. Clearly, I’ve done something wrong. But that’s my fault for not knowing the rules. I’ll just go back to being Safe Sophie, and you can…just…go.”

  “Fuck me,” he muttered.

  Sophie reached for her shirt. “Well…I tried.”

  But before she had even clasped her fingers around the cool cotton, he closed the distance between them. Gathering her in his arms, he leaned down and slanted his mouth over hers.

  Sophie’s knees trembled and her blood ran molten through her veins. For a moment, there was nothing but the warmth of his body, the press of his arm against her back, and the slide of his tongue into her mouth. He tasted of beer and whiskey, with a faint hint of tomato juice. Sophie slid her hands over his chest and twined them around his neck, pulling him down for more.

  “I promise I won’t tell Jason,” she whispered. “If that’s what’s bothering you.”

  Ace growled deep in his chest and lifted her onto the counter, easing his hips between her parted legs. “Nothing’s bothering me ’cept I want your legs wider. Let me in, babe.”

  God, everything he said turned her on. Sophie parted her legs, and wrapped them around Ace’s hips. He grunted his approval and threaded his fingers through her hair, tugging her head back, exposing her throat to the heated slide of his lips.

  “Never met a girl like you,” he murmured against her skin. “Fucking beautiful. All sassy and sweet. But you aren’t as tough as you pretend to be. You got a real soft side. It’s the softness that kills me.”

  She slid her hands over his hard pecs to his shoulders and pushed off his cut. “I want to see you, Ace. Touch you. I’ve been thinking about it all night.”

  “I knew you were thinking about me.”

  Stifling a laugh, she smoothed her hands over the soft cotton T-shirt covering his broad shoulders but hesitated when she hit stiff leather. Hand trembling, she traced the leather strap down to his hip, and her breath caught in her throat. “You have a gun.”

  Ace unstrapped the holster from his body and laid it with the gun on the counter. “Line of work I’m in, man needs protection.”

  Her heart kicked up a notch. “Please tell me it’s a registered weapon and you’re an undercover cop playing at being an outlaw biker.”

  “Babe.” Ace pulled her close and nuzzled her neck. “Don’t worry about it.”

  Unauthorized possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, riding without a helmet, careless storage of a firearm… the list of offences went on and on. She pretended she hadn’t seen the gun. No illegal weapons in her house. No violations of the Criminal Code going on. Just a damn sexy biker with his hand between her legs. But her cop brain wouldn’t shut up. “You do know it’s illegal?”

  Ace slid one hand over the curve of her sex. “So’s what I want to do to you when I get these jeans off…in many countries in the world.” His gaze fixed on her breasts, and he lowered his head to capture a nipple between his lips. “I think this may be illegal, too.”

  Sophie moaned and arched her back, rocking her hips against the erection straining against his jeans.

  “That’s right. Let it go,” he murmured. “I’m gonna take you on one hell of a ride tonight, sweet Sophie. The only illegal weapon you need to worry about is the one you’re grinding against right now, driving me out of my fucking mind.”

  She snorted into his shoulder, but her humour quickly faded when he unzipped her jeans and lifted her off the counter. His warm hands skimmed over her thighs as he pushed down her clothing.

  “Wanna fuck you wearing these boots.” He toyed with the laces and Sophie bent down to untie them.

  “Unfortunately, you can’t have it both ways.”

  The look he gave her was pure raw heat and Sophie melted.

  “We got all night,” he said, his voice laced with erotic warning. “I’m going have it both ways and all ways. Naked with the boots off. Then naked with the boots on, legs draped over my shoulders, those little heels digging into my back when you come, screaming my name.”

  “Someone’s ego is so big I have to step around it.” She toed off the boots and Ace slid her jeans and panties away.

  “So long as you’re wearing those sexy-as-fuck boots, you can step wherever you want.” Crouched in front of her, he traced lazy circles along the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. He pressed his lips to her abdomen, his five o’clock shadow scraping over her the top of her mound.

  Sophie groaned and threaded her hand thro
ugh his silky hair. “Don’t tease me. I picked you because I thought you were a man who knew what he wanted and went after it.”

  Ace chuckled and stroked a finger along her wet folds, tearing a gasp from her lips. “I am. I just like to take my time.” His eased his finger inside her, then drew it out and thrust again, so slowly, so deliciously, her back arched and she gripped his hair, trying to direct him to where she wanted him to go.

  “Impatient,” he murmured, his breath a warm whisper over her throbbing clit.

  Oh God. What had she gotten herself into? It wasn’t wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am with him. Not the kind of one-night stand where you got off and got away. Oh no. He knew exactly what he was doing, how slow he was making her burn, how far he could take her. She suspected if she didn’t do something and fast, he could keep it up all night. Drawing in a ragged breath, she slid her hands to his shoulders and tugged him up. “It’s not fair if you get to keep your clothes on and conceal that illegal weapon you threatened me with earlier.”

  He gave her a wicked grin and stood. But did he remove his damned finger? No. Instead, he pressed a second finger deep inside her and leaned over to whisper in her ear, “Open for me.”

  A low, guttural groan escaped her lips as she parted her legs for him. Three years with Ryan, and although the sex had been hot, she’d never experienced anything like the arousal pounding through her veins.

  “I thought you wanted my clothes off.” He dragged his fingers over her sensitive inner walls, and Sophie’s eyes watered.

  “I do…just…stop doing that. I can’t think.”

  He slid his free hand around her waist and pulled her close. “That’s the idea.”

  “Are you one of those guys who has to be in control?” Her hips ground against his hand, and she clutched his shoulders for balance. She hoped so, because she’d lost control the minute he’d touched her.

  “Always.” His dark eyes locked with hers, and he slid his fingers out, leaving her bereft. “I want to feel your beautiful body against me.” He stripped off his clothes with brusque efficiency, tossing them on the floor, then pulled her back into his arms before she had a chance for a good ogle.

  God, he felt delicious. His shaft, hot and hard, pressed tight against her belly. She slid her hands down his back and over his taut ass as she rocked her hips against his erection.

  “You’re killing me, babe.” His hands slid beneath her, and he lifted her back onto the counter, then grabbed his jeans off the floor and pulled a condom from one of the pockets. “Gotta have you now.”

  He rolled the condom over his shaft and eased himself between her hips. Sophie couldn’t resist touching him. She stroked her hand along his length from balls to tip and groaned. How long had it been since she’d had a man?

  Ace stiffened, and gently drew her hand away.

  “Won’t last with your warm little hand on me. I need you so bad, sweet Sophie, I fucking ache with wanting you.”

  God, did he have a script of things to say that would make her wet? She’d never known a man to be so candid about what he was feeling and what he was doing and what he planned to do with her. Just like he’d said earlier this evening. Well, he had her attention.

  She pulled herself closer to him, twining her arms around his neck to lever herself up. “Here I am.”

  And then he was inside her, thrusting deep and hard, filling her completely. Sophie let out a deep moan and leaned her forehead against his chest. “God, you feel so good.”

  * * *

  Good was an understatement. He’d never felt anything as mind-blowing as her wet, hot pussy around his cock, her body soft in his arms. Ace buried his face in Sophie’s neck and inhaled deeply. She smelled of jasmine, rich and sensual, and the faint kiss of the ocean.

  He tightened his grip on her hips and thrust deep into her silky wetness. Sophie whimpered and rocked her hips against him.

  “Tell me what you want, babe,” he rasped.

  She hesitated and bit her lip, then looked away. “I want you to fuck me, Ace,” she whispered. “Hard.”

  Hard he could do. He gripped her hips and slammed her down over his painfully hard cock. Her arms and legs tightened around him, and he hammered into her, over and over, until he could feel her quivering around him. Pressure built at the base of his spine, his balls lifting, but he gritted his teeth and got his arousal under control. He wanted her with him. If they only had one night together, he wanted it to be a good one. For both of them.

  Although he already knew one night wouldn’t be enough.

  “Lean back.” His voice came out in an almost unrecognizable husky growl.

  Cheeks flushed, eyes wide with arousal, Sophie leaned back. Ace slid a hand between them and brushed the pad of his thumb over her clit. She jerked back, and he tightened his arm around her, holding her in place as he teased the little nub.

  Sophie writhed against him, her pussy clenching over his cock, causing maddening sensations that he could barely keep in check. Christ, when had he ever been so out of control? It was all he could do not to give in to the urge just to take her. Hard. Fast. Now.

  But she deserved more than that. Especially for her first one-night stand. A perverse warmth filled his chest. Masculine pride. She’d picked him to be her first. Him and no one else.

  With gentle strokes, he spread her wetness up and around her clit as he drew a nipple into his mouth, nipping gently. Sophie stilled, her pussy tightening around him. Gritting his teeth against an almost primal need to thrust, Ace flicked his thumb over her clit. Once. Twice. Then she stiffened and came, screaming against his shoulder, biting into his skin.

  The sharp jolt of pain together with the rhythmic pulsing of her inner walls sent him over the edge. He pounded into her hard and fast until, finally, he climaxed, in long, heated jerks with a shout that echoed through the room.

  Sophie wrapped her arms and legs around him and sighed, leaning against him as they came down from the rush. After a few minutes, he pulled away to dispose of the condom, returning moments later to gather her in his arms. She looked up and her lips curled in a smile. Absolutely beautiful.

  “I’d suggest we lie down, but my mattress and couch are covered in boxes.” She ran her hands down his arms, tracing the lines of his tats, tribal designs that reminded him of a picture that had hung in his father’s apartment, the only real home he had ever known.

  “Not interested in lying down.”

  Sophie raised an eyebrow. “You ready to go again?”

  “Babe, you’re so damn sexy I could go all night.”

  She nuzzled his neck, soft and sweet, but when he felt the sharp nip of her teeth at the pulse point in his throat, he cursed, hardening in an instant.

  “Any ideas?” she whispered.

  “I noticed your table was clear of stuff, and I was thinking you’d look sweet bent over it while I fucked you from behind.”

  “So romantic.” She ruffled his hair and slid off the counter. “I hope you have more condoms.”

  * * *

  Ace woke when the ring of a damn cell phone pulled him out of a delicious dream involving him, Sophie, and a pair of handcuffs. He rolled over on the mattress they’d dragged into the living room and frowned at the empty space beside him. But the handcuffs were no dream. They glinted on the table where he’d fucked Sophie the second time. Or was it third? And why couldn’t he remember putting them on her?

  “Rise and shine. I have to get to work.” Sophie crossed the room in front of him, her hair wet, dripping over the shoulders of her…police uniform?

  No fucking way.

  Ace’s heart skipped a beat, and he pushed himself to his elbows, grateful for the thin sheet hiding the effects of his handcuff dream. “Babe, please tell me you have a kink for dressing up.”

  She grabbed the handcuffs and clipped them to her belt, her lips turning up in a wicked smile. “Afraid not. I’m the real deal.”

  He swallowed hard and tried to connect his brain and his mouth.
>
  “You’re a cop.”

  She glanced up, amused. “Yeah and just in case you get an ideas, my weapon is real and I know how to use it. I started going to the shooting ranges as soon as I got my gun license and took marksmanship training when I was in training. I was the best marksman in my class, and I still practice every week. I can hit an eight-nine-ten bull’s-eye from one thousand metres every time.”

  Ace gave her an appraising look. “You trying to scare me, babe? Or turn me on? ’Cause there’s nothing hotter than a girl with a gun.”

  Sophie laughed. “I’m on duty in half an hour. My new partner, Gary, is swinging by to pick me up. I’ll tell him I met some Rogue Riders at the party last night. Might not mention I brought you home. I wouldn’t want word to get around that I was fraternizing with the enemy.” She fished around the jumble on the floor and tossed him his clothes. “Up and at ’em, cowboy. I gotta get you out of here and lock up before Gary comes.”

  Ace didn’t move. His brain and body were having a disconnect. Where the hell had this hard-ass cop come from? Where was his sweet, soft Sophie from last night?

  “You might want to close your mouth.” She laughed lightly. “Shocked isn’t a good look on you.”

  “Would have appreciated you sharing that piece of information with me,” he grumbled.

  “You didn’t ask. But isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be with one-night stands? One night and you never see the person again, so who cares what they do or what kind of person they are. And you never really told me what you do….” Her gaze drifted to the gun on the counter. “Not that I couldn’t guess with the three-piece patch on the back of your cut and that one-percent patch on your shoulder that tell me you’re in an outlaw MC, the baddest of the bad. As for the details, it’s probably best if I don’t know.”

  Ace pulled on his shirt and just managed to get his jeans over his rapidly diminishing erection. Was that why Jason had told him not to get involved with her? Because she was a fucking cop? Why the hell would Jason think she needed protection? A sliver of anger worked its way through his chest as he buckled his belt.

  Or was it disappointment?