So Tough to Tame

by Victoria Dahl

  Then he reached up, drew off his hat and tossed it in the general direction of his door. She was suddenly plunged back into the exposure of being on the bright upstairs landing. But Walker ducked his head and put his mouth to her neck and she didn’t care.

  Oh, God, that felt sweet. His hot mouth and hard teeth and the soft warmth of his beard on her skin. Charlie tipped her head back and let him have his way with the sensitive skin of her throat.

  “That feels so good,” she moaned. He pressed his hips harder to her. “Oh, that, too.”

  He chuckled against her neck, sparking waves of delicious vibrations that twined through her body. She felt suddenly aware of her hard nipples and the pleasure drawing the nerves between her legs tight. She felt her pulse beating through her entire body. She felt it speeding for Walker.

  Unable to control herself, she slid her hands over his shoulders, his arms, down his chest...and everywhere she touched he was solid, hard man. Nothing soft about him. Nothing yielding. She plucked at the top button of his shirt, then the next, and now her fingers were touching warm curls of dark hair. When his teeth scraped over her neck, Charlie moaned, already overwhelmed by so many lovely sensations.

  She unfastened the next button, and the one after that. Then she pulled his shirt free of his jeans and spread it open so she could glide her hands over his hairy chest.

  He eased back so he could look down and watch as her fingers explored every muscle on his chest. “God,” he growled. “Maybe...” He gave his head a slow shake, then tried again. “Maybe we should go inside?”

  She nodded, but the spicy scent of him was too much to resist. She pressed her open mouth to his collarbone and tasted his skin. Every cell inside her seemed to sigh with relief, as if she’d been craving this taste her whole life. It was just so damn right. His skin and hair and soap and the faint, delicious tang of sweat. This was the chemistry that had driven her to those slightly blurry, not-quite-dirty fantasies about him in high school. She didn’t know if it was the same for him, but she could package the smell of him and live on it for weeks.

  “Charlie,” he groaned, throwing his head back as she slipped her open mouth up his throat. “Let’s go inside.” But his hands roamed restlessly over her back as he pulled her tight against his erection.

  Oh, man. That was something she wanted to taste. But...

  “We can’t have sex,” she whispered.

  “Yeah. Absolutely. Let’s just... What?”

  She smiled against his neck. “Well, we can. And quite easily, judging by how wet I am right now.” His throat clenched beneath her mouth as he choked on her words. “But we won’t. Not this time.”

  “What?” he repeated, the word still a syllable of drowsy confusion.

  She finally leaned back a little to look up at him. “I want to savor you, Walker. Don’t you think you deserve to be savored?”

  “I... No? Or maybe. I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Come on.” She tugged him toward his door. “I’ve waited a long time for this. I don’t want it all over in just a few minutes.”

  “Hey, that’s not how it’ll be.”

  She giggled and grabbed his hat off the floor. His door wasn’t locked, so she just led him through and tugged him over to the couch. “Come on. Let’s make out.”

  Confused as he might be, he was delightfully cooperative. He dropped right onto the couch and reached for her. Charlie plopped his hat onto her head and straddled him.

  “Make out, huh?” he murmured.

  “Sure.” Her words got caught in her throat when his hands cupped her breasts, but she soldiered on. “When was the last time you just had some nice, innocent fun with a girl? Don’t you think it would be good?”

  He smiled and thumbed her nipples. “Innocent? I’m not sure I can remember.”

  “Mmm.” Eyes closed, she arched into his hands, loving the way her nipples got harder under his attention, as though her body wanted him to know it approved. As if they were showing off to reward him. She was actually glad now that they hadn’t done this in high school. Back then, she’d felt overwhelmingly inadequate about her body. Embarrassed by her lack of curves and her A-cup breasts. But now as he eased her shirt up, she helped take it off. His hat tumbled off her head. She hardly noticed.

  Charlie didn’t try to hide behind her hands when he unclasped her bra. No. Now she opened her eyes and watched his face as her bra slid down her arms.

  Yes, one thing she’d learned was that men liked breasts. Big or small, it didn’t matter to most. They just liked the round shape of them, and the hard, flushed nipples, and they liked to— “Oh,” she gasped as his mouth closed over one nipple and sucked. Yes, they liked that most of all. Sucking and licking and biting.

  She groaned his name, egging him on, and he responded in the exact right way, sucking harder. His mouth drew pleasure through her body, pulling everything tight. He’d feel so good inside her right now. He’d feel so good she could barely comprehend that she wasn’t going to let him fill her up.

  But she had a first-night rule. Not because she hesitated to put out. Not because she worried about her reputation. But because she’d found a night of making out was a good judge of a man’s skill in bed. Weeding them out before penetration kept her numbers low. Or lowish. She didn’t need love or even commitment to enjoy sex, but she did need a halfway decent chance that she’d leave satisfied. That was just logical.

  Still working her with his mouth, Walker gripped her hips and pressed her down so she was snug against his cock. They both grunted slightly at the shock of pleasure.

  “You really don’t want to have sex?” he asked, pressing his hips up.

  She shivered at the way his words cooled her wet nipple. When he pressed his hips up again, she groaned. He was so hard for her. “No sex. But I do want to have a little fun.”

  “Seems like a halfway decent time so far, but maybe I’m being led astray by the breasts.” He pressed a soft kiss to each one.

  “Mm. Let’s make it even more fun.” She eased away, sliding backward to rest her weight on his knees. He didn’t try to stop her, he just watched, with what seemed like fascination, as she unbuckled his belt.

  She got the first two buttons of his jeans open, then paused for a moment to enjoy the image of him with his dark blue shirt spread wide and his pants only half-fastened. His nearly black chest hair tapered down into a tantalizing trail that dipped beneath his briefs. “You are a fucking treat, Walker.”

  “You’re not so bad yourself.” He thumbed one of her nipples, making her suck in a breath. The slightest touch from him was enough to make her swoon. This was going to be fun.

  She eased his shirt off his shoulders. When she opened the rest of the buttons of his jeans, she brushed her knuckles against the erection that strained at his dark gray briefs. “Mm. That’s nice.”

  A dark laugh huffed from his throat. “Thanks.”

  “You seem a little tense, though.”

  “I am.”

  “Would this help?” She snuck beneath the band of his underwear and wrapped her fist around his cock. When she realized he was exactly as thick as he seemed, adrenaline burst into her blood like fireworks.

  “Fuck. Yes. That helps.”

  Wanting to see exactly what she was handling, she tugged at his jeans and he helped by raising his hips enough for her to slide all that annoying material down a few inches. When his cock sprang free from his underwear, Charlie had to close her eyes for a few moments and breathe. Once she’d steeled herself, she opened her eyes and looked again.

  “Jesus Christ, Walker. That is one beautiful cock.”

  “You like it?”

  She could tell by his voice that he was smiling, so she wrapped her hand around it and gave it a careful squeeze. His cock jumped in her hand and his gasp made clear he wasn’t aiming an arrogant smile at her anymore. Not that he didn’t have the right. He was a work of art, long and thick and straight.

  Regret stabbed her in th
e chest. If she’d just kept her mouth shut about not having sex, she could ride this cowboy until her ass muscles cramped. But now she’d be damned if she’d let him think he’d talked her into anything.

  She had to be strong. She had to resist its lure. But saying no to this man’s penis was damn difficult.

  She stroked him and felt his muscles shudder under her. “Why don’t you tell me what you like? Does that feel good?”

  “Yes,” he said as she stroked. Now he was the one who had to close his eyes.

  “Like this?” She slid her hand all the way up, then back down again. “Or faster, like this?” Shortening her strokes, she watched his head fall back on the couch.

  “Oh, God. Like that. What you’re doing now. Just...”

  She did as he asked, watching his face when she wasn’t staring at his cock. Her hand looked pale and small against the flushed, dusky skin.

  Smiling, she looked up to see that he’d recovered enough to watch now, and he seemed transfixed by the sight of her jerking him off. He spread his fingers over her thighs, and they pressed into her flesh every time her fist stroked toward the base of his cock.

  “God, that feels good. Charlie....” He looked up then and met her gaze, and there was none of the old playful Walker left. His blue eyes glowed with lust, the skin over his cheekbones was tight and flushed. “Keep going,” he said when she started to slow. “Just like that. Don’t stop.”

  Her smile fell away and she nodded, still locked with his gaze as she stroked him.

  “Don’t stop.”

  “You want to come like this?” she whispered. “You want to come for me?”

  His jaw clenched. His eyelids fluttered for just a moment and she saw his gaze fall to her bare breasts. “Yes. Fuck yes.” His big hand slid up to her breast and he pinched her nipple and rolled it carefully between his thumb and finger.

  Charlie gasped and faltered for a moment, but his other hand covered hers and he set her back on the rhythm he wanted, not letting go until she had it right. It was harder to concentrate now, with his fingers rolling pleasure into her, but she frowned and tried her best.

  His breath sounded shaky now, and precome leaked beneath her fingers, so she squeezed him a little harder, ignoring the way her tired muscles whimpered. She was rewarded with a shuddering gasp. His hips pressed up.

  She wanted to take him into her mouth. She wanted to strip off her pants and mount him. She couldn’t do just this. She needed to feel that cock inside her. Her rules didn’t matter. And her pride was idiotic. She—

  “Oh, fuck,” he ground out past clenched teeth. “Charlie...” And then he was pulsing in her hand, his come shooting out onto his belly with every jerk of his cock.

  Charlie was breathing almost as hard as he was. Excitement and joy and frustration tangling up inside her and making her pussy feel all the more empty.

  “Holy hell,” he gasped as his body settled from shuddering to shivers. “I... Man, I don’t think I’ve done that since...”

  “High school?” she suggested.

  He nodded and his head fell back again. She held him like that for a moment. Just taking in the gorgeously pornographic sight of Walker half-undressed and fully sated. His dark beard and strong neck and wide shoulders and that gorgeous chest, all leading down to the flat belly splashed with his come.

  Charlie slowly loosened her grip before leaning past him to grab the Kleenex box. “You’ve made quite a mess, Walker Pearce.”

  His smile was decidedly lazy as he reached for the tissues and cleaned himself up. “I think you’re the one who has to take the blame for that.”

  “Me? I was only doing what you told me.”

  His big, deep laugh filled the room and made her heart thump. “Well, if you’re so good at following directions...” His hands spread over her back and he swung her around. “Then lie down.” She found herself suddenly staring at the ceiling, her jeans being stripped down her legs.

  “No sex!” she shrieked, laughing almost too hard to form words. She covered herself with her hands in an attempt to keep her panties in place.

  “Darlin’, if you think I’m capable of sex right now, I’m truly flattered, but you are very, very mistaken.” As if to make the point, he tugged up his briefs and jeans.

  “I just mean, no...you know.”

  His dark eyebrows rose. “You don’t want my mouth on you?”

  She tried not to groan but couldn’t stop the tortured sound. Oh, she wanted his mouth on her. Everywhere on her.

  When he braced himself above her on the couch, his shoulders filled every inch of her vision. “I got it, Charlie. Don’t worry. I’ll be good.”

  Was this man made of sex? Everything he said was a dirty promise that ratcheted her up another notch. Yes, he’d be good. No matter what he did. Hell, at this point, he didn’t even have to be better than average. She could get off just on the memory of him coming for her.

  Walker kissed her, and when she closed her eyes, she was happy for his beard, because even with her vision dark, she knew who was kissing her. There was no question of it. Aside from the firm softness of his lips and the unmistakable taste of his mouth, there was his beard tracing over her skin. For a moment, the stark heat of his chest pressed against hers, but then he slid to the side, wedging himself next to her on the couch. She couldn’t protest, though, because his hand was at her breast again, teasing and touching.

  “Yes,” she whispered against his mouth. Then “Yes,” again when his hand slid lower.

  The slide of his fingers down her belly recalled every second that she’d touched him. Every nerve that had fired its eagerness to take him. Her belly sucked in, and then his hand slipped beneath her panties and she gasped at the feel of his rough fingers sliding over her plump, wet flesh.

  In that moment, she was so glad she’d kept up waxing. She loved this feeling, of a man’s skin against her bare, sensitive lips. And for Walker, she was already soaking wet, so it felt wicked and delicious and perfect as he stroked her. He brushed her clit and she cried out.

  “Oh, sweetheart,” he murmured.

  She wanted to protest that it wasn’t that bad, that she didn’t need him that much. But he stroked her again, and she was too busy whimpering like a needy animal. Her hips pushed toward him, urging him on when she was trying to order them to play coy. But they were far beyond coy. Her hips were trying to talk her into doing anything. Anything for Walker and his calloused fingers. Anything he ever wanted.

  “Fuck,” she cursed, trying to fight it.

  “No. No fucking, Charlie. Just this.”

  “Oh, God,” she groaned. She bit her lip, trying to hold back, but she needed to feel him inside her. “Please,” she finally let herself say.

  The fingers teasing her clit slipped lower, and then they were pushing inside her, thank God. “Yes.”

  Two of his wide fingers stretched her and she gasped her relief.

  “Is that better?”

  She nodded, clenching her teeth tight against another shameless moan.

  “Good,” he whispered against her cheek. He set a slow rhythm for a few strokes, then slid out to touch her again, his fingers hot from her body. This time he didn’t tease. This time he stroked her clit with a steady rhythm that slowly, slowly increased. Charlie’s breathing became shameless panting. Her hips rocked toward every circle of his fingertips.

  When he slipped down to push inside her again, she cried out at the pleasure and grabbed his forearm. To make him stop or force him not to... She wasn’t sure. All she knew was that it was torture to feel him inside her when she was so close.

  “Shhh. That’s good,” he whispered. “That’s so damn good, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” she panted. “Yes. Yes.” His fingers filled her so thoroughly that, at that moment, she couldn’t even imagine taking his thick cock inside her. Just this was all she could handle. She was overwhelmed with each push of his hand, everything too tight and full, her nerves stretched past tension into
something like torture.

  He shifted his body a bit farther from hers, changed the angle of his arm and then his thumb was rubbing her clit while he pushed his fingers deep into her, and that was all it took. A few circles of his thumb and her nerves gave up all that tension in a shock wave of pleasure. And then another, and another. She couldn’t hold back her screams as she came harder than she had in years. Her world shuddered and shook. Her throat went hoarse.

  From just a little foreplay.

  Holy God, sex with Walker was going to be so good.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “WHERE WERE YOU last night?”

  Charlie ignored Dawn and kept typing up the security procedures she wanted in place for guest emergencies. Her keyboard clicked in the silence.

  “Charlotte,” Dawn said more loudly, her voice grating over Charlie’s eardrums. “I asked you a question.”

  “I was at my new apartment,” she answered.

  “Your what?”

  Charlie kept typing. “My new apartment.”

  “What do you mean? We’ve provided you with an apartment here!”

  “Yeah, well. I’m not required to stay here and I found it a little confining.”

  “No! You’re supposed to be here, at the resort, so that you can be around for any emergencies.”

  “I’m sorry, Dawn, but that’s not in my contract,” Charlie countered, trying to keep her voice level. It wouldn’t do to let Dawn hear the disdain and hate and impatience that were eating her alive.

  “Oh, really? You know what is in your contract?” She paused long enough to make Charlie respond.

  “What?” she finally growled.

  “A morality clause.”

  Charlie rolled her eyes. “A what?” When she looked up, Dawn smirked.

  “Oh, now you’re paying attention. Clearly you’re aware of what your weaknesses are.”

  “What do you mean a morality clause?”

  “Look it up, Charlotte. You signed it.”