by Jenika Snow
“This is a very bad idea.” She placed her hands on his chest and pushed, but it held no real strength. “I’m not doing this with you, whatever this is.” The smell of something alcoholic and fruity brushed along his lips, and that snapped him out of his trance. Her words should have been the thing that made him realize this was a bad idea, but it wasn’t. Leaning back just an inch he looked into her face. Her eyes were half closed, and her cheeks were flushed.
“You drunk, Mary?” She shook her head once, and then licked her lips.
She blinked s few times and tried to take a step back, but he kept his hand on her lower back. “Why do you care?”
“Mary, quit answering my questions with questions,” he said on a growl.
“I had two drinks.” Her breasts rose and fell, making the already tight material snugger. He wanted her, and he needed to make sure she was right there with him, and not only acting this way because of the alcohol. He took another step back, and they stared at each other. It was a bit surreal given the fact everything around them was still moving, yet it was like they were in their own world.
They didn’t know each other for that long, and him coming up to her like this, touching her and pressing his hard cock into her belly was inappropriate on every level.
When have you ever cared about what was appropriate? She may wear a frown, look confused as to why she was even allowing him to luxury of feeling her in such an intimate way, but she couldn’t hide her body’s reaction to him. Her nipples were rock hard, and that was clearly evident because she wore no bra. Her chest rose and fell forcefully, as if she couldn’t quite catch her breath. And he knew, without a fucking doubt, that if he slid his fingers along her inner thigh and right up to her cunt, she’d be wet as hell for him. But she didn’t make any other move to let him know she wanted to go the next step, and the fact he could smell the alcohol on her, even if she wasn’t stumbling around drunk, had red flags going up inside of him like one huge stop sign.
“You’ve had too much to drink.”
She blinked, shook her head and looked at the ground. For what seemed like forever all she did was stare at her feet, as if she was thinking about something really hard, and this one moment would define it all. When she lifted her head and glanced at her friend, he realized he was actually feeling nervous about what she was clearly going to say. Mary turned back around, and when their eyes locked she smiled slowly. It wasn’t the smiles he had seen countless times when a female thought they could seduce him, but one of relaxation and heady lust. Fuck, he wanted her so damn bad, but at least he was with it enough to think logically and realize doing this here and now was a major fuck-up. Because as much as he wanted her, wanted to be inside of her and touch every inch of her, even this was moving a bit too fast for him … right? Shit, he didn’t know. He was so damn conflicted. He should have never walked up to her and started all of this, and if Mary was as smart as he knew she was, she’d go running in the other fucking direction.
Chapter Nine
What in the hell was she doing? Mary stared at Alex, and realized that everything inside of her had stilled as soon as he touched her. She tried pushing him away, although it had been in vain. She wanted him, and by the erection that had just been digging into her belly seconds before, he wanted her, too. She tried denying him, but really it had all been for nothing. She was just as weak as every other girl that fell at his feet, but why did she have to say no to him?
Because you’re smarter than half the female population that have been with Alex. He’d hurt you, and that would be a fact because your heart would become involved.
He turned and started walking away, and why, because she said she had two drinks? It had been after she uttered that sentence that he had closed off from her. But Mary should be thankful, because her resolve had slowly been leaving her the longer Alex had his hands on her body. The haze of desire slowly dissipated, and Mary was left standing there slightly cold and very embarrassed. No, she wasn’t drunk, but at that moment she wished she was. The two cocktails Darcy had thrust her way when they first arrived had done loads to help her relax. The atmosphere of Tainted was unlike anything she had ever experience. Mary had been to a few local clubs and bars since moving to Columbus, but this was like a whole other world. The darkness that added to the already sexually charged atmosphere, and the way people didn’t care if others saw them practically having sex right on the dance floor was heady and already added to the slight buzz from the alcohol going through her system.
She was with it enough to know it was Alex that had touched her, that had nearly kissed her, and that knowledge had her wetter than she had ever been. Of course it was the alcohol that had dimmed her inhibitions and let her break down her walls to allow him to do those things. In the back of her mind she knew it was a bad idea, but her body was screaming at her mind to shut the hell up. He had let go of her, and she ached to have his hands on her again, to have his fingers brushing along the small of her back. It might not have seemed overly intimate, but it had been like flames moving along her body.
This was a bad idea, a very, very bad idea, but it sounded so good. The drug-like sensation that Alex had caused inside of her when he touched her body came back full force at that thought, and she found herself moving toward him as he leaned against the bar, almost seeming angry. He had to know that she wanted him. It wasn’t like she was hiding the fact anymore, although she should. As if he was some kind of animal and sensed her presence he lifted his head and stared right at her. His expression was unreadable, but even more so since shadows from the darkened club slashed across his face. His cheekbones seemed more pronounced, and his chin squarer. She took another step, and another, until they stood toe-to-toe, breathed in the same air, and she was swaying toward him. Hell, this was so not her.
“What are you doing, Mary?” His deep voice was low and wrapped around her like liquid silk. He knew damn well what she was doing. He had been with enough women to know when one was coming on to him. That thought came at her full force, but she pushed it away. She wouldn’t think about it, wouldn’t let it take her under. She wanted this, and by the look of the bulge still pressing against the front of his jeans, Alex wanted this, too. For whatever reason he was holding himself back from her, and she would be lying if she wasn’t a bit hurt by that.
“You’re being coy, Alex.” Lifting her hand and placing it on his hard stomach, right above the button of his jeans, had Mary feeling awash with potent arousal. She could feel the hard ridges of his abdominal muscles right under her finger, and when she started to slowly moved her palm up the muscles bunched in response. She looked into his turbulent hazel eyes and knew that she could easily fall for this guy, just jump off a damn cliff and never look back, and how crazy was that?
Turn around, Mary. Just turn around before this guy you hardly know ruins all other guys for you.
“You are experienced with women wanting you, right? I mean you do know when one is coming on to you?”
She didn’t phrase it as a question, and it wasn’t said as a slap to the face, but when she saw the dark look that washed over her face she knew she should have kept that last part to herself. His jaw tightened, and a muscle under his cheek ticked violently.
“Yeah, Mary?” His voice was low and deep, and slightly scary.
She took a step back, but he followed her move. Suddenly her pleasurable buzz was gone, and in its place was her familiar friend of uncertainty. A look over her shoulder showed Darcy grinding with some huge tattooed guy with far too many piercings.
“Look at me.”
Alex’s voice was right beside her, commanding and with an edge to it. She snapped her attention back to him, found him right in her face now, and parted her lips in surprise. He was so big, so muscular, and could crush anyone that stood in his way. She should be afraid of this feral side of him, and the wild look in his eyes, but for some inexplicable reason … she wasn’t. In a move quicker than she anticipated Alex had her hand and was pull
ing her through the thick crowd. Before she could ask him what he was doing they were down a long, semi-secluded hallway where the shadows were far too thick for her comfort. He pressed her against the wall, and the coldness of it seeped right through her skin. She was breathing heavily, unable to catch her breath, and not knowing if she should surrender to the carnal look reflected on Alex’s face or run in the other direction. He pressed his big body against hers, and she felt every hard length of muscle. He was still hard, and his erection dug into her belly. His face was almost stern, as if he was angry, with either her or himself. The pounding music fading away until the only thing she could hear was their combined respirations.
“Look at me, Mary. Really fucking look at me.” His words were cold, harsh, and cut her deep, but they didn’t have the effect she assumed he was going for. Instead of feeling intimidated she melted like hot butter against him. He was so controlling, so demanding, that all she could picture was surrendering herself to him. When she didn’t answer he moved in so close she was sure he would put her out of her misery and kiss her, but right at the last moment when their lips would have touched he turned his head and whispered in her ear. “Tell me what you fucking see when you look at me.” Mary let her eyes close as his warm breath smelling sweetly like the beer he drank brushed along her cheek.
“I…” Her mouth was suddenly so damn dry. “I don’t know what you mean.” Maybe if she wasn’t high off of the smell and feel of Alex she might have been more conscious of what he was trying to get at, but as it stood she was putty in his hands. His chuckle was deep and low and sent all sorts of delicious tingles throughout her body, but it also sounded humorless.
“You know what I mean.” The way he spoke, slowly, deliberately, had his lips lightly brushing along the shell of her ear. “You think you want me, but you don’t. Not really, Mary.”
Oh, she really wanted him, but maybe it was the fact he didn’t really want her? But then again that didn’t make any sense since she could feel exactly how much he did want her pressed against her belly. But he was a man, and she was a woman, and maybe it was simply biology and his body reacting to being so close to the opposite sex. Denying him was fruitless, and she just wanted to do this already, because the anticipation of what would happen was too much. Why on earth would she think a man as gorgeous, talented, and strong as Alex would want a too curvy, size sixteen wallflower like her? Lance had made comments about her weight, and there was no amount of exercise, even when she did force herself to go, that would make her look like the svelte blondes she had seen hanging from Alex’s arms. Defeat settled inside of her, but before she could turn away from him Alex was leaning back so he could stare into her eyes.
“Do you feel how hard I am for you, Mary?” The way he said her name was so hot, so heated, that she could have had an orgasm by that alone. “Answer me.” The way he phrased those two words was so dominant, like he expected compliance immediately, had her licking her lips and nodding. “No, I want to hear you say the words.”
God, what was wrong with him? Did he get off on embarrassing her further?
“Yes, I feel you, Alex.” Even her voice sounded weak, but she watched in surprise as he briefly closed his eyes, as if her words pained him almost.
“The way you stiffened in my arms, I knew you were about to bolt, and I should let you, but you need to know something.” He opened his eyes, and they seemed more green than brown now. “Make no mistake that I want you.” He emphasized his point by grinding his erection into her, which had a shocked cry leaving her. He felt so hard, so big, that she had no doubts he knew exactly how to use the heavy length between his thighs. He took his hand and slowly moved it down to rest on her hip. “Like right now I bet your pussy is soaked.” His mouth was by her ear again, and the gentle, almost erotic feel of his lips against that suddenly erogenous zone lit her on fire. She was wet, unbelievably so, and his coarse presentation of pointing it out should have offended her, but all it did was make her want more of it. “I also know if I slipped my hand between your legs you’d let me.”
He was so cocky, but so right in everything he said. Mary couldn’t speak, couldn’t even think clearly as he started moving his fingers in a slow glide over her hipbone. He moved it around her body so he was touching her bare back, and a surge of disappointment went through her that he hadn’t followed through with what he said.
“But also don’t mistake who I am.” His words confused her, but that might also have something to do with the fact he was so damn close that if she leaned forward just an inch she would be kissing him. “I was going to ignore the voice in my head telling me to leave you the fuck alone, because I wanted you too fucking bad, Mary.” His eyes were on her lips, and she licked them, not because she tried to attract his attention, but because everything inside of her was on autopilot now. “You’re so much better than this, than me, and the fact you want me just as I want you makes this even harder.” He placed his hands on either side of her head, creating a wall of thickly corded muscle. “I’ve fucked a lot of women, Mary. A lot.” His words were like ice water being thrown on her. She snapped her eyes to his and saw steely determination in the brown/green depths. He was either being the biggest asshole imaginable, or he was trying to push her away because he really did think she was too good for him. “That’s what I like to do, and that’s what I’m good at. I don’t do flowers and candy. I don’t go home and meet the parents, and I sure as fuck don’t do relationships.” She flinched, but he stayed stoic. “Do you understand me?”
She did, but her mouth had suddenly gone so dry she couldn’t form a word. What had she been thinking, going after him, and thinking Alex-fucking-Sheppard would give her more than one night with her?
“Yeah, you get it now.” He took a small step back but still kept her caged in. “Now, if you just want a night of hard fucking, that I can give you.” He let his eyes travel down her body, and she shivered from the coldness of it all. Standing in front of her wasn’t the guy she had just tutored a few hours ago, or the one she met at the sandwich shop, or even the one she had wanted to desperately know. This guy was a Grade A asshole, and looked at her like she was some kind of piece of meat. “If you’re looking for something more meaningful, like you’re special or something, you’re looking in the wrong fucking place, baby.”
Her hands became fists at her sides, and her anger rose. Her whole body shook from the force of his words, from the way he made her feel like something cheap, dirty, and not worthy. She couldn’t control herself, didn’t even try to stop herself from uncurling her hand and lifting it to slap the shit out of him. His head cocked to the right, and she saw his jaw clench. For several long moments she did nothing but stand there, and when he turned back and looked at her, there was regret in his gaze. No fucking way was he going to feel sorry. He had already spoken his mind, and it couldn’t be taken back.
“Fuck you, Alex.” She shoved at his chest, and fortunately he moved away from her. Her hand stung and felt hot from the blood rushing to the surface, but her tears were hotter as they slid down her cheek. She was a damn fool, but she knew the consequences of going after a bad boy like Alex. She was just glad he had showed his true colors now. And right now her whole fucking body was covered in flames, but it was no one’s fault but hers, and she deserved every painful, humiliating moment of it.
****
Alex had gone too far, he knew that with every fiber of his being, but things between him and Mary had gone from nonexistent to explosive in a matter of a week, hell, in a matter of hours if he was being honest. He had wanted her since he first saw her, and seeing her on the dance floor had his control snapping. His self-control had gone down the shitter after that, and once his hands had been on her he was fucking lost.
But then everything had gone down the shitter because she had challenged him, tried to take control, and he had wanted to show her that he was the one that held the reins. Even now he thought back to her pressed against the wall, her breathing short an
d fast, and her breasts right there for the taking. She would have let him touch her pussy, of that he had no doubt, but as much as he wanted her, taking her against the filthy wall at Tainted was beneath her. He also didn’t want any of the cloying effects of liquor blinding her judgment.
Then something in him had snapped when she made a reference to him and the other girls, and he had known right then he had to put a stop to everything. Alex didn’t have to go as far as he did, and certainly didn’t have to say the things he did, but he had, and she had reacted exactly how he wanted her to. The slap was a surprise, because honestly he hadn’t thought she had it in her, but he deserved it. Even now his cheek stung like a bitch.
Alex turned and watched Mary storm away. Her ass looked fucking fine as hell as she pushed through the dancing people and stopped in front of her friend. The fact she was angry at him was like gas to the already raging fire inside of him. He kept to the shadows, and even though she knew where he was, he also knew she couldn’t see him. Mary and the blonde turned in his direction, and both women wore scornful scowls. He leaned against the wall and kept his gaze solely on Mary. He’d offended her, most likely made her feel like she was a whore. And although that was the last thing he thought about her, and the very last thing he wanted to make her feel like, that had been the only thing he could think of to douse this intensity that sparked between them.
The blonde looked back at Mary, but she kept her eyes on him, as if she truly could see him through the shadows. He was the worst kind of bastard, and he would have ruined her. This was for the best. He could get another tutor, but of course it wouldn’t be her, and after only that one session he wanted more. Fuck, he was an idiot and needed another drink, preferably enough to have him passed out by the end of the night.