Asher released a low chuckle. “How did someone as refreshing as you end up with this rough bunch tonight?”
“She’s dating Kurt,” Kerry answered before McKenna had a chance. Asher stiffened. His gaze shifted from perusing the room to her face. There was something in his expression she couldn’t decipher and his lips parted as if he meant to say something. She cut him off. “I’m not dating Kurt. I guess I’m technically on a date with him now but we’re not dating. Unless you consider the one time I went to his apartment so he could tie me to the bed a date but we didn’t have sex. Although we did sleep together and he did feed me afterward. Fuck it. I’m dating Kurt. How the hell did that happen?”
Everyone was staring at her again. Fortunately, Kerry nodded as if she understood. “I ended up married once under similar circumstances. He asked if I wanted to get something for dinner and I said, ‘I could eat’. Next thing I knew I was repeating my wedding vows in the line of a drive-thru wedding chapel. The hamburger was good.”
“How odd,” McKenna mused aloud. “I also got married in a Vegas drive-thru. Of course, my marriage didn’t end well. He died so I don’t think it’s any reflection on drive-thru weddings in general. They can hardly be blamed for it.”
Kerry looked thoughtful. “Huh. The man I married died too.”
“Perhaps someone should do a study on the mortality rate of men who marry Vegas-style.”
When Kerry seemed to consider McKenna’s suggestion, she felt, for once, as if someone understood her odd thought patterns. After a couple of minutes, Kerry nodded. “He did die in a motorcycle accident. It could be the whole always-on-the-move factor.”
“My husband killed himself.”
“Oh.” Kerry appeared taken aback. “A coincidence then, I suppose.”
A loud voice rang through the speaker system—thankfully—ending the conversation before it became more awkward.
“All right ladies and gentlemen, I hope you’ve gotten your wagers in. All further bets are now closed. This next match we have our own Kurt Travis against World Divisional, No Rival fighter Brian Johnson. The legal boys do enjoy playing in our yard from time to time. This should be a good one, folks.”
As the announcements continued, Kurt appeared through the doorway of the cage. The mass of people surrounding McKenna shoved forward. When the cheers died down a notch, she could hear the man still carrying on over the microphone, adding fuel to the crowd’s excitement.
“In case we have anyone visiting tonight from World Divisional, hoping to see some real action, let me go over the rules. Here at Warehouse District, there’s only one. When you step into the cage, it’s to the death.”
Kurt’s face could’ve been cut from marble for all the emotion he showed over the pronouncement. She felt sick.
“They don’t literally mean ‘to the death’, do they?” she asked no one in particular. Rhys patted her on the arm. “It’s a mentality rule. These are no-holds-barred matches. Fighters are expected to face-off with a kill-or-be-killed, anything-to-win attitude. You fight until someone goes down and doesn’t get up.”
“Oh.” His explanation did sound better than what she pictured in her head but not much. Since Rhys’ build was similar to Kurt’s and he knew the rules, she was curious. “Do you fight here too?”
“No. I’m World Divisional, the same as Kurt’s opponent. We have rules. Not many, mind you but enough to keep us alive to compete another day.”
McKenna thought of a thousand more questions but the bell rang, drawing her attention back to the action. The man facing off against Kurt had lovely chocolate-colored skin and a look of determination. His muscular jaw flexed as he bounced on his toes. All the men were well-kept machines. She wanted to sigh but she was too nervous. As dark as McKenna’s writing was, she didn’t much care for actual violence.
In a move almost too quick for the eye, Brian struck hard and fast by landing a blow to the side of Kurt’s head. Rhys sucked in a sharp breath.
“I told him not to do that.”
If McKenna was being honest, the move made her a little angry. His one punch made her realize she didn’t like anyone hitting Kurt. In an attempt at calming her temper, she chose to concentrate on Rhys instead.
“Why?”
Before Rhys could answer her question, Kurt threw two sharp jabs. Both made contact, snapping Brian’s head back and drawing blood.
“Never mind,” McKenna grumbled. She understood. Brian had pissed Kurt off. He would be twice as vicious. On a leap, Kurt’s knee sank into the other man’s abdomen. “Oh dear. Kurt’s not likely to let him off easy now.”
“Exactly.” The bleak note to Rhys’ voice said a lot.
Taking advantage of Brian’s scramble to recover, Kurt spun. His back kick caught Brian in the jaw. He went down. To McKenna’s surprise, he sprang back to his feet before Kurt could attempt a pin.
Kurt wore an expression McKenna couldn’t think of any way to describe. Since it was her job to paint mental pictures with words, her loss seemed even more significant. The look in his eyes went beyond anger. Something dark had been unleashed from inside him. From the way Rhys stiffened at her side, she knew he’d seen it as well.
“He should have stayed down.” McKenna silently agreed.
Proving them both right, almost as if choreographed, Kurt snagged Brian’s wrist mid-swing. In one fluid motion, he tugged the man forward until he face-planted on the mat. Twisting, while still holding Brian’s arm, Kurt brought his heel down on Brian’s shoulder blade. It seemed the entire room chose the same moment to draw a breath. Everything fell silent. The cracking of bone was audible as Brian’s arm snapped.
McKenna knew, as long as she lived, she would never forget the sound Brian made in his pain. Rhys strung together a list of curse words she’d never heard used in the same sentence as he raced toward the cage’s door. The place exploded into motion. Rhys and Asher were on the mat, attending to Brian in a matter of seconds. The crowd pressed against her as each individual fought to get a better view. McKenna couldn’t move. Her feet cemented to the floor. Time seemed to slow. Her vision darkened around the edges until she was staring at Kurt through a tunnel. He refused to let the official lift his arm in victory. Instead, he turned her way, searching the crowd with his eyes until he found her. For a single, unguarded moment, McKenna saw something inside him. It caused the oxygen to leave her lungs. He was scared of himself and he needed her. She was moving in his direction before making any conscious decision to do so. He met her at the edge of the mat.
The power of his passion, the adrenaline pumping through his veins, both of those things were almost tangible. He flinched when she reached for his hand. It didn’t keep him from squeezing her fingers when she tugged him forward. A muscle jumped in his jaw. He eyed her as if expecting she’d run screaming from the building at any moment even as he allowed her to tow him from inside the cage. She walked backward, holding his gaze. She wasn’t afraid.
“Where’s your stuff, baby?”
The endearment seemed to snap him from his haze. He blinked. “The locker room.”
“Let’s get it. Okay?”
“Ich würde Dich nie verletzen.”
“Baby, I don’t speak anything but English. You’ll have to give me a small break here.”
“I would never hurt you.”
A sharp pain hit her in the chest. “I wish I could make you the same promise.” Somehow, McKenna managed to get Kurt to the locker room. Unwilling to take any chances, she sucked in a deep breath for courage and simply strolled inside with him as if she belonged. She did her best not to look right or left. Men being men, they postured but didn’t bat an eye over her presence. They certainly didn’t suggest she leave. Kurt had gone quiet but he dutifully tugged a shirt over his head and pulled on a pair of slick workout pants.
“Give me your keys.”
“I’m not an invalid, McKenna. I can still take care of you.”
Holding out her hand, palm up, she wiggled he
r fingers at him. With a growl, he gave in to her silent demand. Several people tried stopping them on the way out the door. McKenna kept a tight hold on Kurt as she barreled past them. It wasn’t until they were halfway to her apartment that she realized he’d fully withdrawn from her. He became like a stranger. The change was almost palpable. In light of the situation, McKenna made an important discovery. It was cold on the outside when Kurt decided to shut someone out. She hated it. The time had come for extreme measures.
He dutifully followed her inside her apartment, watching with an expression akin to horror as she stuffed his car keys inside her purse. She suppressed a grin. If she’d thrown them in the sewer, she didn’t doubt he’d have gone after them. As most men were, he’d been rendered helpless by a simple zippered leather handbag.
*
“How am I supposed to get home?”
McKenna hung her coat and purse on the rack. “You’re not going home.” Silence filled the air between them as he tried to decipher her meaning. Before he could ask, she added. “You owe me an apology.”
He dropped his gaze to the toes of his shoes. Shit. He’d ruined everything. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put you in this position.”
She kicked out of her boots. “I’m not talking about that.” Snagging the hem of her dress, McKenna peeled it over her head. His mind went blank but his heartbeat quickened. “Every time we’re together, you get me wet. The problem is, you never do anything to remedy it.” She unhooked her black lace bra and tossed it on top of her dress on the floor. “Say you’re sorry.”
Her body was so much better than he’d ever imagined. And he had an awesome imagination. McKenna was a goddess.
“I’m sorry.”
Hooking her thumbs in the band of her thong, she slipped it down her hips. “You don’t sound apologetic.”
Kurt had an epiphany. McKenna’s constant conversational tone was a mask. The beautifully sexual mind he’d seen at work in her books stayed locked behind the quirky face she showed the world. They weren’t two separate parts of her. For some reason, she chose to hide. She fascinated him, captivated him.
“From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely beg your forgiveness.”
“I’d have an easier time believing you if I wasn’t the only one not wearing any clothes.”
His jacket slid from his shoulders. Her eyes hooded. The shirt disappeared from his back. His attention locked on her. Everything else was secondary. For once, his brain didn’t control his every action. McKenna owned him now. As he toed off his shoes, she turned away, trailing down the hall. No doubt, she expected him to follow. She was right. He still owed her an apology. As if attached to an invisible leash, Kurt stayed on her heels. The moment a steel-framed bed came into view, he sprang, pinning McKenna facedown beneath him.
“Tell me what I did wrong so I can fix it. Which parts of you ache when I leave?”
His voice sounded ravaged, even to him. It was nothing compared to McKenna’s when she answered.
“My breasts feel heavy.”
The length of his hardened cock tried pushing its way past his waistband. He opened his mouth over her spine between her shoulder blades.
McKenna gasped. “Oh God.”
At the exclamation, he burrowed his hands underneath her, kneading the breasts she claimed he’d neglected. Her beaded nipples scraped along his palms.
“My panties dampen,” she added.
In his mind, he could already taste her cream coating his tongue. He growled against her skin as he counted her vertebrae with his tongue until he reached the base of her spine. Clasping her hips, he urged her upward and onto her knees. He sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her ass, drawing a gasp from her lungs. Brushing his lips over the spot in apology, he hesitated, giving her a chance to deny him. When she didn’t, he slammed the window of opportunity closed. Reaching around, he pinched her clit between his thumb and forefinger. He circled her asshole with his tongue, once, before tracing the line to her pussy. A moan tore from her lips. She moved against him. He dipped his tongue inside. Feminine salt filled his mouth and his stomach growled. Kurt was starving. McKenna was the most decadent of meals for a man too long denied. Lapping at her juices, Kurt circled her nub.
“My channel feels empty without your dick,” McKenna said on a ragged breath.
She left him wrecked. His chest hit her back. The sound of the air leaving her lungs as he squashed her beneath his weight sounded loud in the otherwise silent room. He didn’t recall moving. The confession had caused his body to move before his mind accepted it was happening. Her ass cradled his erection through the workout pants. The thin barrier between them was the only thing stopping him from taking what he wanted. He was holding on to control by a thread. His passion and her confession brought a hint of reality. Tonight, he didn’t want to pleasure her and leave. He needed to be inside her. They had a problem. This had not been a part of his plan.
“I didn’t bring any condoms with me.” He almost felt sick at the admission. There hadn’t been anyone he truly wanted in years, until McKenna. Now she was within reach and he couldn’t have her.
“I’m on the pill.”
His lungs ceased working. Were they really discussing this? Easing up, he urged her onto her back. He needed to look into her eyes. Brushing her hair away from her face, he held her cheek in his hand and her gaze with his.
“I have to get tested every six months for most diseases to continue competing at Warehouse District since we come into contact with one another’s blood. I’m clean.” He paused wondering if he was brave enough to tell her everything. In the end, he wanted her to know it all. Most of all, he needed her to realize she was unique to him. “Not that those tests matter in the least since I haven’t had sex with anyone in over three years.” Her eyebrows nearly hit her hairline but she didn’t call him a liar. It did make him feel as if he should add. “I’m not saying I haven’t done other things with the exception of actual intercourse.”
“Why?”
Leave it to McKenna to need to know. She deserved to. “You saw me tonight. I’m intense and I can’t control it. If I don’t keep myself locked down, my emotions take over my whole life. Most people can’t handle me when I’m firing on all cylinders. You can.” He waited for her argument but it didn’t come. Since he was all in now, he kept going with the endless confessions. “Since I saw you sitting there barefoot, in the wintertime and in a coffee shop, I haven’t been able to stay away. All the things about me I can’t control have fired to life since the first moment I met you. I want to be inside you so badly right now the thought of missing out makes me physically ill but I also know myself too well. It won’t be enough for me. I’m passionate. I’m obsessive. I won’t stop until you agree to keep me. If this is a one-night stand for you then I’d prefer to skip it.”
He half expected her to kick him out of her bed. She shocked him by chuckling. “You do all of those things now. How are you expecting life to change after tonight?”
He traced a circle around her nipple, watching as she struggled to keep her breathing under control. “I’m being serious, McKenna. Tonight, I wanted to tell Kerry and Mandy you’re mine. The next time we leave this place, I want to be able to say it and know it’s true. This need for you to know you’re always welcome wherever I am is driving me insane. I also want to know I’m welcome wherever you are.”
His dick was having a separate conversation with his brain about how stupid he was. There was a pain in his chest warning him of how much it would hurt if she turned him away.
“You can’t leave me here alone. I’m waiting for you to show me what the purpose is for those piercings I saw in your pictures.”
He knew it was her way of giving in while holding onto her pride. His heart soared. He didn’t need to steal her pride away to find his footing. He pushed his pants down his hips before lowering his head. He needed to taste her lips. Pausing an inch from her delicious mouth, he demanded she give him the words he needed.
“Tell me you belong to me.”
She buried her fingers in his hair, holding him in place. “You’re so beautiful.”
He scoffed at the words. “It should’ve been me telling you how gorgeous you are.”
“I beat you to it. Now would you please show me the value of those kinky piercings? It’s freezing in here. I need you to keep me warm.”
The first mention of any discomfort on her part had him moving. He covered her with his body. There was no way he would allow his woman to get a chill. He’d have her promise another day.
Drawing her hand downward between them, he wrapped her fingers around his shaft, guiding her to the first stud. It was in the tip of his cock. He hissed through his teeth as she toyed with it. “This one is for my pleasure.” Urging her hand farther down, he steered her toward the heavy silver ring at the base of his cock. “This one is for your pleasure. As for my other piercings, you’ll have to find and figure out those for yourself.”
Sharp breaths shuddered from her lips. “A challenge then? Can I take you up on it later?” She fisted his erection, stroking him. “Right now, I want this buried inside me. I’m done playing.”
She thought they were playing? How cute. Not by a long shot. Surging forward, he opened his mouth over hers.
*
Inside, McKenna was shaking. She hadn’t slept with anyone since Gray died. Taking her clothes off in front of Kurt had been scary as hell. Now she was getting ready to welcome him inside her body. A thousand emotions crowded her brain. She could say no. Kurt shifted, taking her with him. In a flash of movement, she was the one on top, straddling his hips. The control belonged to her. She could back down. Bracing her weight on her palms, her hair fell forward, creating a curtain around them, giving the illusion they were inside a private cocoon. It was intimate. Up close, Kurt’s eyes were such a light green they almost seemed amber.
The tips of his fingers trailed down her spine. She couldn’t back down. There had never been any real chance of doing so. His hands encircled her hips, urging her upward. Dropping her gaze to his kiss-swollen lips, McKenna beat back her fear.
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