by Nana Malone
She shook her head. “No. Thank you all the same. I got myself into this mess, chasing my dream. I can get myself out. Your name still carries a lot of weight. I want to stand on my own. Think of me as Lois Lane to your Clark Kent.”
He wrinkled his nose. “Have you forgotten that Clark never got the girl? She was always after Superman?”
“You need to update your DC universe lexicon. The modern Lois knows they are the same person and finds them equally sexy. Keep in mind we’re talking sexy Henry Cavil and not that poor Brandon Routh reboot.”
“So you think Clark is sexy, huh?”
She leaned back and grinned at him. “Sure do.”
“I know you’ve had a long day. Maybe Clark can cheer you up.”
Ryan lifted her into his arms easily, and she giggled. He loved her laugh. It was so unfiltered. At five feet seven inches, she wasn’t short, but she was petite, so damn light.
As he kissed her, she locked her legs around him at the ankles and held onto his shoulders tightly. He hissed when her fingernails dug into his flesh, and his cock throbbed painfully. Without even trying, she could bring him to the brink. His hands cupped her ass as he moved her against him. Rocking her heated core against his cock. He couldn’t get enough.
Once they were in her bedroom, he kicked the door shut. He gripped her tighter and braced her against the wall. His hands impatiently shoved aside the fabric of her sundress, and he grunted once his fingers came in contact with the edge of her panties.
Take, taste, come. Now. He had a serious control problem when it came to Mia Donovan. It didn’t matter how much he tried to control himself. Once her lips were under his, it was over. He wasted no time pushing the fabric of her thong aside. He knew her body well enough now to know when he slid his fingers over her it wouldn’t take long to have her panting.
Her lips were so slippery and wet. Sliding his tongue into her pliant mouth, he coaxed her tongue into a dance with his. He needed her begging and pliant in his arms. Wanted her as desperate as he was. The problem was he was going to explode. His hands shook, and his legs trembled, he ached for her so bad. He slid a finger inside her, determined to coax her first orgasm from her.
But he didn’t give her the press of his fingers that she craved. Instead, he teased her, spreading her juices over her lips, making sure she was wet. Making sure to drive her crazy.
Wrenching her lips from his, Mia shook her head. “Wait.”
He heard the command, but it took a moment to register. Slowly, he blinked into focus as his brain came online. “What’s the matter?” he asked through a constricted throat.
“Nothing, but you’re not distracting me tonight. I had something else in mind.”
He watched her carefully but didn’t say a word as she unwrapped her legs and slid down his body. His cock twitched in hopeless protest. What was she up to? Every muscle tensed as he waited on her next move. Need making him twitch. The hitch in her voice and the way her pupils dilated made his skin feet too hot. Too tight.
Mia yanked his shirt over his head with smooth efficiency. The buckle to his jeans came next. When she wrapped delicate fingers around his cock, he cursed, squeezing his eyes tight against the urge to come. She pumped him in a slow, deliberate motion, her gaze never leaving his. When her palm grazed over the crown of his cock, he shook.
“Mia—”
She licked her lips as her gaze slid over his body to his straining erection. Blood surged to his groin, and he jerked involuntarily in her palm.
“Baby—”
When Mia sank to her knees, he tried to hold her up, but she ignored him. Shit, if she wrapped that heaven-sent mouth of hers over him, he was a goner. Done. He’d be coming in seconds. But as she pumped him, he cared less and less about prolonging this and more and more about coming.
She shifted her body and his, pressing him back against the door. Thank God, because he needed the support. Was it possible to die from pleasure? He was willing to find out. Her warm breath on the crown of his cock had him vibrating, and he clawed at the door for support. When she wrapped her lips around him, he groaned in surrender and dug his hands into her hair. Mia lapped the length of him before circling the tip in a deliberate motion.
Her skilled hands wrapped around his girth as she stroked in time with her suckling mouth, and blood roared through his head. He clamped a fist in his mouth in an attempt to steady himself against his release. But it didn’t do any good. A wave of pleasure nearly felled him as he came.
Mia grinned up at him. “I have been dying to do that properly without interruptions. Maybe next time, you just give me my way?”
He couldn’t move but managed to mumble, “From now on, whatever you want. No arguments from me.”
Chapter Thirty-two
Mia turned in the circle of Ryan’s arms and kissed his pectoral gently. A smile tugged at her lips as he groaned and tightened his hands on her ass. “You have to go before it gets light.”
As he ran a hand through her hair, he tugged the strands gently. “I know,” he whispered, “But I can’t seem to let you go.”
Using her teeth, she grazed his nipple gently, and he hissed. Before she knew what was happening, he had her pinned beneath him and the smooth tip of him nudged her sex, ready and willing to go…again.
“Ryan.” She laughed. “What kind of vitamins are you on? I need to suggest it on my blog. I’m sure all those women will love it.”
He nuzzled her neck, and his chest vibrated as he laughed. “Not vitamins, baby. You. Mia Donavan. You’re guaranteed to keep a man ready and willing all night.” He nipped at the skin in the hollow just under her ear. “And all morning.” With his tongue, he licked down the column of her throat. “And all afternoon. Pretty much, if a man is around you, he’s going to be hard. I know I am. Just thinking about you is enough to do it.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, really? Just what part of me is inducing such enthusiasm? Is it the boobs? I have to admit, boys have been fascinated with them since they showed up.”
He shook his head but still slipped further down her body, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses, stopping just above her nipple. “While they are two of my favorite parts on you, they’re not the reason I stay hard all day. But—” He paused to suckle her gently, and she groaned, clutching the sheets. When he pulled away, they were both panting. “They have a way of distracting me.”
Mia bit back a moan as he circumvented her other breast and kissed down her belly. “Okay, Mr. Matthews, then tell me, is it my ass?”
He paused his kisses just over her sex, and she arched into him, lifting her hips toward his mouth. He took the opportunity to palm both of her cheeks and squeeze.
“Okay, I’m not going to lie, that has a little to do with it.” He used his grip to hold her in place as he placed his lips over her clit and sucked.
Mia screamed. The sharp pull of need had her rolling toward the edge of orgasm quickly. But Ryan was determined not to rush. With his thumbs, he parted her soft folds. With long laps of his tongue, he thoroughly loved her, alternating between licking her folds, sucking on her clit, and teasing soft circles over it with his tongue. She gasped when he ran his tongue down to the tight stretch of skin between her slick center and her ass. When he slid two fingers into her, she bucked. But it wasn’t until he replaced his fingers with his tongue that she clamped her legs down around him.
With a grunt, he wedged her legs apart with his broad shoulders. He used his hands to hold her in place as he fucked her with his tongue, working it in and out of her. She clutched at the pillows behind her wildly, unable to breathe as he shoved her toward orgasm.
“Ryan please…”
Her breath caught, and he replaced his tongue with two fingers, curling them, and rubbing lightly over her G-spot.
She groaned. “Oh. My. God. Jesus.” Lacing her hands in the thick strands of his hair, she tugged in an attempt to drag him up her body, but he just chuckled.
“Sweetheart, relax, I’ll get there, I pr
omise. Right now, I want to play a little.”
And play he did. With two fingers sliding into her slick channel and his tongue teasing her clit, he licked and teased her, drawing out the pleasure. But he wasn’t satisfied until she was heading toward the cliff again. He rotated his hand as he teased her clit with his teeth, ever so slightly. Ryan lit her body on fire when he applied a little pressure with his teeth and simultaneously grazed her tight rosette with his thumb. Waves of pleasure rolled through her.
Gently circling his thumb, he whispered, “Your body is incredible, Mia. Since I met you, I can think about nothing besides what I’d like to do to this body. How I want to possess it. I want to be the one you think about when you’re alone and you’re touching yourself. I want to be the one you call when you’re needy. Screw B.O.B. I want you to only think of me.”
“Ryan?” To her ears, her voice sounded distant.
“I want all of you one day, Mia.” He released her and kissed his way back up her body.
When he slid his cock deep into her, she was more than ready. Their bodies melted together like they belonged. Like one would die without the other. Mia knew this wasn’t about sex. They were making love. They had been making love ever since Chinatown. She held on tight to him as he stroked deep inside her then retreated until he was almost fully out, then drove back home again.
Ryan kissed her softly and cupped her face as he made love to her. “Mia, I don’t ever want to leave.”
With those words, she broke apart in his arms. The orgasm rolled through her and rendered her brain officially useless. With a shudder over her, he groaned and collapsed.
Mia wasn’t sure if it was minutes or hours later, but when he eventually got out of bed, she missed him instantly.
“I need to go before I can’t anymore. You’re going to cripple me, woman.”
“Are you sure it’s not the other way around?”
Once he dragged his jeans on, he turned to study her. “Last night, you asked, what now?”
Oh. Okay, he wanted to have this conversation for real now? She dragged the sheets up to cover herself as she sat up. “Yeah? That was about when you distracted me with sex.”
That sexy grin of his spread over his face, and his eyes dipped to her breasts again. “Yeah, well, I can’t seem to control myself around you.” He licked his lips. “But honestly, what do you think about trying this for real?”
His question was so soft she nearly wasn’t sure she’d heard correctly. Her heart fluttered. This was what she wanted. To be with him, but maybe this was what he thought he wanted now but he’d resent her later. “Ryan, you’re the guy that doesn’t believe in relationships, remember?”
He sighed. “I’m full of shit. I want you. You’re the first woman I’ve wanted to try with in years.”
“Ryan, I—”
He shook his head. “Don’t say no. You feel it too. It’s special. I know you think I’m obsessed with your body, but it’s not that. It’s the way you laugh and give me shit. I’m obsessed with hearing your voice. And your smart ass comments. That’s what does it for me.”
Mia laughed. “I want to get this straight, you like me bitching at you?”
His laugh was clear. “Yeah, I guess I do.” He picked up her hand and kissed her palm. “So what do you say? Will you think about it? I don’t need an answer now.”
Yes sat on the tip of her tongue, but her brain prohibited her lips from moving. Instead, she nodded. She wanted him. Hell, she loved him. But she had to be careful. “I’ll think about it.”
He sighed, his expression a mixture of relief and regret. “Good. Now let me get out of here before the cameras catch us again.”
Stay. The single word was trapped on her tongue. Instead, she let him go. She had some things she needed to think about.
* * *
Later that afternoon, Ryan searched the crowded restaurant until he finally spotted his quarry in the far table by the window. He’d spent the whole flight working on the article and left Mia out as much as he could. All he needed was a few things from Victor.
When he approached, the other man looked up warily. “Victor? I’m Ryan Matthews. We spoke on the phone.”
Victor nodded but didn’t return the handshake. “You said this had to do with putting that bitch Jamie out of commission.”
He slid into the seat and dragged out his recorder. “Do you mind if this is on the record?”
The other man shook his head
As he studied him, Ryan couldn’t help but note that he looked like a former shell of his tanned and athletic self. From the pictures he’d seen, the guy had been a world-class athlete with the stats to match. He’d also been blond and tanned and everything women supposedly looked for. Now he looked almost gaunt, and his hair was more of a sandy, dull brown. And it looked like he hadn’t been near a gym in years.
“Listen, man, I appreciate you taking the time to do this.”
“Yeah, whatever. Anything to stick it to that bitch; she ruined my life.”
“Maybe we can start there. Why don’t you tell me how you became associated with the show.”
Victor scrubbed a hand over his stubble. “My manager suggested I do it. My contract as a free agent with New York was almost up and I was still too young to really do the sport casting thing. And let’s face it, I wasn’t really a big enough star. The most interesting thing about me was who I’d dated. And while I’d been smart with my money, I wanted an ongoing cash flow. The idea was the show was supposed to be a springboard. I mean I was a kicker. A kicker for the Jets, but still a kicker, not really flashy and none of that endorsement money, ya know? So anyway, I said I’d do the show.”
“And that was when you met Jamie?”
“Yeah. A few weeks before filming began, I was called into the office. It was her first year producing the show, I think. I just remember thinking she was too young to be producing. She was pretty though. And determined. A real ball buster. Knew what she wanted.”
“And what did she want from you?” Ryan asked.
Victor sighed. “For starters, she wanted it to be the best rated show in its slot. She assessed me like I was a piece of meat.” Victor shuddered. “I’ll tell you, man. I’ve been assessed before, for my skill. Scouts and trainers and coaches all look at you like you’re bits and parts, but that meat on a stick in a tiger cage thing I assume women go through? Not really. I mean, women are assessing, but since I wasn’t a receiver like Marshal or a quarterback like Brady, I didn’t really get the same kind of looks until that day. Like I was on display.”
Ryan barely suppressed a shudder. Although, he’d been looked at that way since he hit puberty—socialite mothers looking to make a good match for their daughters and women looking for a life on easy street. “Yeah, I get the idea.”
“So, anyway, she started talking about how I’d play well with the Cinderella this year. The girl apparently had a thing for sports guys. And that if I played ball, then I’d have all kinds of avenues opened for me.”
“Did you ask what she meant?”
“Hell, yeah. I’d played pro ball for ten years. I wasn’t an idiot. I wanted to know what I was getting into. She said if I did what she said and followed her direction and script, I’d not only have the girl if I wanted her, but she’d have a television hosting gig lined up for me. And that was only the tip of the iceberg.”
“What was part of the script?”
“You know, leading questions, designed to make the Cinderella cry and open up. She said it was really going to get the ratings.”
“Weren’t you worried about the girl?”
Victor shrugged. “At first, it was just an idea. Jamie sold the show as a partially scripted reality show.”
“So what happened?”
The other man shook his head. “For starters, I wasn’t really down for being her personal bitch. At first, she just wanted me to give her a feeling on the other contestants. She then also started coming onto me with all this shit about how
attractive she found me, and I’m not going to lie. She was pretty. It was easy, and she was available. Then she wanted me to start ratting out the other contestants. Who was into drugs, what their pasts were. When she asked me to start sharing private stuff about Caitlin that maybe wasn’t caught on camera, that’s when I put my foot down. It wasn’t what I signed on for.”
“What did she do when you turned down her demands?”
“At first, she was prickly, but she didn’t seem fazed, just told me that the TV gig was gone if I didn’t do it. I didn’t listen to the noise. Shit didn’t get bad until Caitlin and I started to get close.”
“Caitlin, that was the Cinderella at the time?”
He smiled slightly. “Yeah. She was beautiful. At first, I thought she was kind of stuck up, not really my type, but then we got to talking one night, after one of the group dates. I shit you not, I fell in love with her then.”
“Let me guess, Jamie didn’t take it too well.”
Victor laughed. “You can say that again. She started showing up at my house, threatened to show Caitlin tapes of me and her together. Of me saying I’d spy on Caitlin and shit. She doctored those tapes. After she showed them to Caitlin, Caitlin wouldn’t even talk to me anymore.” He shook his head. “She eventually married one of the guys from that season.”
“What happened to you?”
Victor spread his arms. “Yeah, all my pending deals to host TV and radio went away. Anything in the media sector was no longer available. And let’s face it, with all my injuries, I couldn’t play anymore. All that was left was coaching. I got a gig at one of these exclusive coaching outfits. Money’s good, and I get to help kids, so maybe it was all supposed to happen like this. But not quite how I wanted it.”
“Did you try to fight Jamie?”
“Yeah, man. I threw what I could at her, but her fucking father owns the network. Not much I could do.”
He felt for the guy, even if he had put himself in this position. “And what about Caitlin?”
Victor shook his head. “For a while, I tried to talk to her. But that shit was over the moment Jamie showed her pictures of us.”