Surprisingly, she blushed and turned her head. “Think you can find something to hold our friend here with?”
“Not a problem.” And he went to find the plastic ties his brother kept on hand, wondering when his life had turned into a comic book. Complete with a hot female heroine who kicked ass and didn’t bother with names. “I’ll call the police while I’m at it.”
Within minutes, the kid’s hands were restrained, his nose blotted clean, the police on their way, and Carter stared at his bad ass heroine. “I don’t know whether to kiss you or spank you for that stunt.”
Instead of being chastised, Briley grinned up at him, her big brown eyes sparking with the rush of adrenaline. “You could always spank me while we kiss,” she suggested in a soft, sexy voice that had Carter’s zipper straining.
“Oh damn, woman, now I really have to kiss you.” He moved to take her in his arms, not caring if he’d just met her and decisions based on emotionally heavy situations tended not to last. Briley was everything he wanted in a woman and never knew he needed.
As his arms reached to encircle her waist, a flash of red and blue lights interrupted their moment.
She lightly kissed his cheek before stepping back. “Keep that thought in mind, handsome. I have plans for you.”
“Briley…” He studied her face, confused by the emotions he found there—fear, pleasure, desire, pride and so many others. She was lovely and smelled incredible. Like moonlight walks on a deserted beach. Already she’d tied him in knots, yet he didn’t have a clue about her feelings for him. He guessed they might not be great for his ego. None of that matter. Briley was the woman for him. He liked her peaches and cream colouring and her wide brown eyes, and the way she carried her lush frame.
He watched her walk to her purse as an unsettling surge of anxiety shook him. What if his plans didn’t work? What if she had a boyfriend or lover? She didn’t wear a ring, but these days that meant very little.
There couldn’t be a man in her life, not if he’d read the desire in her eyes right. Subtlety, that was the key. He needed to be smooth. He turned to Briley, but she was too busy digging through her purse to notice his puppy dog eyes.
He’d need more firepower to win over this damsel.
Chapter Two
Two hours passed before the police finally left with their prisoner in tow. There had been some confusion about who owned what and why Briley was there, but after a phone call to Trev, everything had been straightened out.
When they were finally alone again, Briley expected to feel nervous or awkward around Carter. After all, she didn’t go around propositioning strange men every day. Instead, she felt calm, as if this moment had only been waiting on her. Carter walked around the shop to turn off equipment and lights while she waited for him by the door.
“Guess my laptop won’t be up and using four letter words tonight,” she joked, trying to lighten the suddenly tense sexual mood.
He looked at her, confusion then remorse clouding his too handsome face. “Oh damn it. I forgot about it. If you can give me a few minutes to get the lights back on and my stuff set up—”
“Carter, I was kidding. There’s no way I’m going to let you work on my stupid computer after what we’ve been through tonight.” God, how cute was this guy? He’d helped stop a junkie robber and still offered to resuscitate her foul-mouthed laptop.
“If you’re sure.” He stood, looking back to the where the pink and white device sat harmlessly on his desk.
“Oh, I’m sure,” she assured him without a hint of remorse at leaving her micro-chipped life alone in the dark store. Maybe it would teach that mouthy computer a thing or two, like not to mess with a woman capable of taking down a knife-wielding maniac.
Most women would be screaming or demanding sedatives after her little outing tonight, but not Briley. She’d learned at a young age to take the hits and keep standing. Besides with eye candy as yummy as Carter to distract her, modern medicine didn’t stand a chance. She had a more horizontal prescription in mind.
“You want to get a drink or maybe a cup of coffee?” he asked, walking up to her in the now darkened room. After all the noise and excitement of the past couple of hours, the quiet felt almost surreal. As if they were the last two people on the planet. “Or is there someone you need to call?”
While he tried to sound casual, Bri heard the low tone of curiosity riddling his voice and felt a spurt of hope. If he could feel the bite of the green-eyed monster then maybe he felt the spark between them as well. This incredible chemistry wasn’t just one-sided.
So she shook her head. “Nope, just a long list of things I should be doing or have to plan to do.”
He flashed that killer grin that made her knees weak and her nipples hard. “Great. I mean, not great that you have work and all that…” His voice trailed off as he moved into her personal space. “Look, I’m not really good at playing games so I’ll tell you straight out. I’m very attracted to you. I want to spend time with you when we’re not being held at knifepoint or discussing your laptop’s creative and vulgar language. I know it sounds strange, considering we only met a few hours ago, but sometimes you just know.”
Hell, the feeling was mutual. She’d felt the same need and desire just looking at his neck. Briley didn’t make a habit of one-night stands, but for Carter Moore she just might make an exception.
“There’s a hotel about three blocks from here. I could meet you there,” she offered knowing he would understand the subtext of her message.
He leant down until his breath whispered across her lips. “I’ve got an even better idea. My house is two blocks away and the drinks are free.”
Her whole body melted as his lips pressed against hers. She pulled back enough to suggest. “Then what are we waiting for?” And a tiny burst of feminine fear ran down her spine as his eyes grew darker at her words.
“Not a thing,” he assured her then grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the store and into the night.
* * * *
Carter felt like Cloud Nine rested beneath his size twelve boots. Everything about tonight’s events should have left him a nervous wreck. Instead, he had a beautiful woman in his home, a fire blazing and an expensive bottle of wine ready to share. Life was damn fine in his opinion.
Except he didn’t know where to go from here. Well, he knew where he wanted to go and that was straight up into his bedroom, naked with Briley as his blanket. But was this what she wanted? Granted, she’d accepted his offer for drinks at his place, but maybe that was all she wanted. The feelings surging wildly inside him were too chaotic to tame or understand. So his best course of action, he thought, was to let Briley take the lead. Let her show him where she wanted this night to end. With a passionate kiss goodnight at her door or breakfast in bed upstairs?
A soft, feminine sound cut through his internal debate and he turned only to feel all the blood drain from his head. “Briley?”
“Very good, handsome. Now, get the next question right and I promise to show my gratitude in numerous and erotic ways.” She wore nothing but one of his long-sleeved flannel shirts that hit her just below her perfect ass. Obviously she’d found it in his bathroom when she explored earlier. Her long hair fell over one shoulder while her arms were crossed right underneath the most exquisite set of breasts he’s ever imagined. She was smooth satin skin as far as the eye could see. He wanted to touch her just to ensure she existed.
“Uh…okay.” Damn it, he sounded like an idiot, but with his brain currently residing between his thighs, speaking in coherent sentences felt almost beyond his ability.
A small secret smile curved her lips and Carter’s heart gave a hard jolt. “Where’s your bedroom, handsome?”
Snapping to attention, he set his glass of wine down and crossed the room to stand in front of this vision of all things feminine. “How about I show you instead of just telling you?”
Again, that Mona Lisa smile curved her lips and had his heart drumming fast and
furious. “Sounds like a plan to me,” she agreed and turned to his staircase.
Carter didn’t let her take more than two steps before swinging her up in his arms. “I said I wanted to show you.”
Shock and unease widened her amber eyes only for a moment, then she blinked and the seducer was back. “Handsome, I think I’d let you show me anything right about now.” Her breath was warm against his face. Her eyes closed and he couldn’t wait any longer.
He didn’t bother to speak. Words were getting in the way of what they both wanted and needed. Smoothly, so he didn’t frighten her, Carter bent his head and captured her lips.
Briley’s hands rose up to tangle in his hair as he gently kissed her. She tightened her grip on his head, pulling him closer. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and teased it with the tip of his tongue, wanting the taste of her flooding his mouth. Her body shuddered in his arms then her mouth opened, almost begging him for more.
Carter gave in to the passion exploding between them while manoeuvring the stairs by rote. Need overrode safety in no time flat.
Mouth open, Carter explored and invaded the depths of her mouth, sipping her flavour like a rare wine. Briley mimicked each move, stroking and teasing his tongue with her own. She clung to him as their need grew more urgent. With one hand against her back, Carter drew her closer to his chest, wallowing in the feel of her flannel-covered nipples through the soft cotton of his shirt.
Briley’s breathing increased, her breasts rubbing against him with each indrawn breath. He couldn’t wait to feel her silky skin against his own, to slide himself deep into her slick wet heat and feel her come around him while screaming his name in pleasure. Carter felt desperate to hear all the little noises she’d make when aroused.
By sheer accident, Carter’s legs hit the mattress seconds before they fell. He quickly turned so Briley wouldn’t bear the brunt of his weight. Her breath hitched and a shudder of pleasure ran through her at the press of his lips and the long, thorough swipes of his tongue against hers. The woman could probably make him come from her kiss alone. The sheer sense of being lost in all that feminine mystic, the taste of her mouth on his, all of it had taken away his ability to reason, to think.
Instead, Carter allowed himself to drown in her. Gave up control, reason and logic in order to submerse himself in Briley’s amazing body. He wanted it all and he was determined that Briley would be the one to give it to him.
Chapter Three
Briley threw reality away like a ruined pair of hose.
Anything that wasn’t Carter didn’t interest her. His powerful chest rubbed her eager nipples through the fabric of her stolen shirt and his hard cock taunted her with its size. She ached to stroke the impressive erection, wanted nothing more than to have his bare chest against hers while his cock tunnelled deep inside her.
When she walked into the downstairs bathroom and found the shirt, Briley knew what she wanted to happen. Carter looked, talked and dressed like a mild-mannered nerd, but Briley had seen past the clever trappings to the passionate man inside. She was determined to set that passion free.
She clawed at his upper arms, where his hard muscles bunched and flexed. Need swept through her, almost choking her with its intensity.
“Condom?” She managed to spit the word out when he raised his head to allow her to breath.
“Damn it, I forgot.” Carter pushed away from her, fumbled in what sounded like a drawer before turning back to her. “Got it,” he said before attacking her mouth again.
With one hand, he gathered the shirt, fisting it and dragging it up and over her head, leaving her naked on his bed. Clever man that he was, Carter used his other hand to keep her pressed against him by the small of her back. Her spine curved, forcing her body into his, as his mouth dropped to her throat to lick and nibble her skin. Shivers covered her body as a moan escaped her throat.
The man was a tyrant for details. How lucky could one girl get?
Her hands fumbled, but finally found the buttons of his scuffle rumpled shirt and ripped it free.
The action had Carter’s head lifting from her throat. “I never liked that shirt anyway,” he promised her before bending his head back to her skin.
“Good, how do you feel about these pants?” she asked
“I’d feel even better about them if they were off.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Now lift up,” she ordered, almost desperate to feel his flesh naked against her own.
With a few tugs and jerks the pants were gone, and Carter had slipped his hand down into her underwear, finding just how eager and ready she was for him. “I don’t get much wetter than this,” she assured him, hoping to hurry him along.
Instead, she felt more than heard his chuckle as he nuzzled one plump breast with his nose. “I promise you, Briley, you’ll get so much hotter and wetter for me than this.”
Briley had been aroused the moment she’s seen Carter in his store and saw him sitting there looking so studious and geeky. The man made geek look like the new Adonis.
Wanting to hurry him up, Briley spread her thighs farther, giving him better access and hoping to encourage him to more intimate pursuits. Carter, genius that he was, followed directions like a natural. His fingers stroked her folds and found her swollen and needy clit. Her breath hissed out as he rubbed the pad of his ring finger against the sensitive flesh.
“Hmmm, could that be you getting wetter?” he teased before sucking her nipple deep into his mouth.
Oh, he wanted to play that game, did he? As much as Briley wanted to plead and beg, pride held her back. If Carter wanted to play, by all means, let the games begin. They’d see who cried orgasm first.
Since words weren’t really important right now, Briley didn’t bother to answer him. Instead, she chose to let her actions speak for her. She ran her hands over his chest, tangling her fingers in the smattering of dark chest hair. His body tensed at her actions, but he didn’t say a word, just moved from one nipple to the other.
With each pull of his hot lips, Briley’s will weakened and her thighs grew damper. Determined to make him just as crazy with lust and need, she rolled them over until she sat astride his boxer-covered hips.
“Yummy.” She sat back and stared. The man was built and then some. All this candy and no one making her share it. Life was amazing.
He had the body of a man who worked out regularly, someone who really took care of themselves. Strong, tanned legs met narrow hips melding into the perfect six-pack abs and then into that chocolate-dip-worthy chest. Where had the man been hiding all her sexually active life?
When the boxers disappeared thanks to her nimble fingers, Briley barely kept herself from drooling over the perfection of flesh revealed.
His cock made her mouth water as she grasped the wide base and let her eyes rove over the swollen, velvet looking wet head. She moved slowly down his body until the heavy erection brushed her lips.
“Yummy,” she repeated right before licking him like her favourite lollypop.
Carter jerked at her damp touch then fisted his hands in her hair. “Oh no, you don’t. As much as I would love to come in your sweet mouth. I’ve got plans for the rest of you.”
She glanced up at him. “If it involves me sitting on your face while I suck you dry, I’m all for it.”
He opened his mouth to reply, but Briley swallowed his cock before he could speak. Relaxing her throat muscles, she took him deep. A strangled groan of pleasure came from his mouth and she felt a surge of triumph. She’d won. He’d been the first to break under the pressure of pleasure. But when he threw his head back and closed his eyes, Briley forgot all about the game and concentrated on the man in her mouth.
As a rule, she didn’t give blow jobs. They were generally messy and all one-sided in the pleasure department. Besides, they didn’t call them jobs for nothing. But none of those things applied to Carter. The more she gave to him, the greater her own excitement and delight grew. So much so she could literally
feel her arousal dripping down her thighs.
Getting lost in the musky smell of Carter’s desire, Briley closed her own eyes and focused on the taste and feel of him, the way his body tensed and jerked in delight at her various licks and sucks. She massaged his hard balls as she ran her tongue and lips all over him, enjoying the way she could bring the sounds of passion out in this normally quiet man.
Carter was almost better than chocolate and ice cream.
Just as Briley was losing herself in his pleasure, strong fingers pulled at her head, forcing her up. “As much as I want that, I believe you promised me a turn.” He spoke softly.
“And we can’t do both?” she offered, not wanting to give up the treat she enjoyed so well.
“If my cock goes anywhere near your mouth again, I’ll embarrass myself,” he said truthfully.
“Then I guess it’s dealer’s choice,” she said as he moved to position her on the edge of the mattress and pulled her underwear off in one swift move.
His gaze roved over her naked body as he slid his hands up her thighs and slowly parted them. Cool air bathed her already throbbing hot sex.
Desire darkened green eyes looked up at her in a haze of passion. “I knew you’d get wetter for me.”
Without warning, he yanked her to the knife-edge of the bed and buried his face in her heat, making her gasp and moan. The sight of his dark head between her thighs almost pushed her over.
His skilful tongue found her clit and licked as he braced her legs open with calloused palms. Briley arched her back and clawed the mattress for something to hold onto while her world collapsed around her.
He teased the opening of her sex, hot and damp with need. The climax burst through her senses as lights expoded under the pulsing pleasure Carter created within her body. He found her G-spot with shocking accuracy and dragged his fingertips over it. She bucked, sighed and jerked her hips in time to his fast thrust, completely overwhelmed by pleasure.
Beguiling Briley Page 3