The elevator door slid open, and she stepped out, looking for 333. Yep, there it was, at the end of the hall. A nice umbrella stand filled with plastic flowers and reeds had been placed near the door. Perfect for a man who didn’t give a damn about trimmings. A deer rifle would be a better choice for getting his attention.
The fact that here she stood at Gun’s door proved her to be an easy mark. His pigeon, as he would say. So what? Go in and have a nice chat, eat some pizza, and see what comes up. She rolled her eyes in self-rebuke. Pathetic woman. You know what you want and damned sure won’t leave without it.
Ali knocked on the door, quietly, looking around the hall. She knocked again, louder this time. Be sensible, lady. Give him time to get to the door. Several seconds ticked by, and her disappointment deepened.
Damn it! He’d probably gone out. She turned her back to the door and whacked it several times with her boot heel. From inside the apartment, Gun snarled.
“Yeah?”
Ali kicked the door again. She felt the suction of air as the door flew open. She turned to see Gun, standing in the doorway, the tiny towel knotted around his hips hanging low over awesome abdominal muscles.
Six foot four of clean, hard, scarred male. Gun was polished bronze, everything about him bragged of power and pleasure.
Of course, he’d expected her to show up. He wouldn’t be leaning casually against the doorjamb, smiling knowingly at her, if he wasn’t confident of his hold on her.
Be casual. He’s only a temporary fling.
“You were in the shower?”
“You the girl I sent for?”
She wanted to slug his flat gut and stomp his bare toes. Instead, she pushed him aside and strode into his apartment, tossing the packages on the coffee table. He’d known it was her at the door, probably watched her plowing through the snow to get there.
“I’m the only girl you’re getting tonight, you bastard.”
Shrugging off her coat, she proceeded to come out of her sweatshirt. He hooked his thumbs in the towel and observed her with a slow smile and a leading question.
“You planning on spending the night or something?”
“You planning on closing that door?”
The security chain rattled against the wood after he slammed the door. “Any more questions?”
Ali burned with need as his pitch-black gaze lingered on her breasts. “What’s taking you so long?”
He stepped toward her, and she unclipped her weapon, holding it in her right hand. His height concealed everything in her line of vision except him. She reveled in the shocking thrill of grazing her tits against his chest.
“Let’s go have sex. I know you like that sex word better than plain old fuck.” He put his arms around her, locking his hands at her waist.
Weak with desire to open to him, she couldn’t be coy. “Fuck is sounding awfully good.”
She released the knot in his towel, and it fell from his hips.
He glanced down at his cock, which stood up against his belly. “Think you can take care of that?”
His dick pushed at her like something with a will of its own. Large and hard, hot with throbbing life, and a man of deep passion attached to it.
“I’m cutting those jeans off you so you get my meaning.” He walked her backwards to the bedroom door. “On the other hand, I’m so hard, maybe I can get through those little pants. That’s how hot I am for you.” His voice held the gravelly rasp of arousal.
No need to say anything when he took her weapon and laid it on the bedside table with his forty-five. He moved her hands to take over the job of pushing her jeans down her legs.
“Gun, wait.” Intent on the business of tossing her onto the bed, he hesitated. “My shoes.” He yanked them off her feet, tugging her jeans off to toss them over his shoulder. He quickly dropped down to wedge himself between her legs.
“Now, let’s start over.” His mouth covered hers roughly, possessively, the warmth and texture of his lips sending shock waves of heat quickening to her crotch.
She parted her lips to take his tongue into her mouth, touching his face to feel the heat from wounds on his chin and eye. Not telling him how much he meant to her was painful. She should just come out and reveal her feelings.
She turned her face from his kiss, fighting to keep her mood light and noncommittal.
“I brought gifts.”
“Don’t tell me. Some of those goofy shorts or an ass plug.”
She spanked his ass. “How did you know? And I spent so much time looking for them.” She rolled him off her and got out of bed. After looking at his beautiful hard-on, she smiled in appreciation. “Hold that thought.”
“Something wrong, gorgeous?”
“No.”
Her answer obviously didn’t satisfy him. “Tell me what it is, or we’ll go back to just plain old fucking.”
“I brought something to add to your fun.”
He leaned on his elbow. “I don’t need anything.”
She went into the living room and opened the bag from the trinket shop.
He answered with his normal cocky attitude. “I don’t need anything.” He had gotten up and followed her, looked over her shoulder, and murmured, “You’re all I need to have fun.”
“Um-hum.”
He was being macho, but curious. “What’s in the bag?”
She turned and held up the lime-green cock ring. His smile was crooked and revealed hunger to match hers.
“That looks way too big for my finger, honey.”
“Oh, I wasn’t thinking of your finger.” She wasn’t quite sure of the vibrator part, only that he was in perfect condition to be ringed. “Let me know if you like this.” Her fingers had never shaken in this kind of situation before. But, she’d never wanted to please anyone so much.
His groan of pleasure banished her earlier worry and urged her to take him on a fiery joyride. In her hand, his cock was heavy and warm with fast-running blood, veined and wide. A handful of ecstasy. His quickened breathing told her to hurry.
She squeezed, holding him back while her fingers worked the ring over his length. She glanced up, and he was grinning at her, literally putting himself in her hands. The man trusted her implicitly to allow such a device to hold his most prized possession.
His sudden grimace startled her, and she tried to roll the ornament off. He caught her hands and laughed, pulling her close and backing her up to rest against the wall.
“Damn you, Gun. I thought you were in pain.”
“I am.”
His mouth hovered a breath away from hers, and she moistened her lips in anticipation of his kiss. Sweet, scarlet desire leaped higher as his lips settled over hers, exploring in hot demand.
She underwent a rush of emotions that brought out something strong and wild in her. The feel of the ring around him pleased her in an odd way. Like the ring in a bull’s nose.
“Donavon, you want to open those sweet legs, or do I go down on you first?” His hand was between her thighs, long fingers stroking and seeking. He had no trouble sliding two inside her and used her wetness to pleasure her, teasing her swelling clit.
She reached behind her to hit the light switch and looked down. “Incredible,” she murmured. “Your cock’s lime green and moving on its own.”
“I don’t care if its tangerine.” His voice was rough and sexy, words running together. “It’s moving because you’re what I want.”
She wiggled her hips and spread her legs further apart, hugging his neck and pressing against his hot hard-on. This had to be the greatest pleasure in her life. Gun holding her, kissing her, lifting her onto her toes, and entering her with a thrust that rendered her insane with pleasure.
“Lift me up,” she gasped, while her legs clamored to wind around him. “Higher, Gun.”
In her wildest, most heated dreams, this had happened. Gun, bracing her up against him, stroking deep inside her, touching the places that ached for him. Charges of wonderful heat coursed th
rough her, mingling with the sweet emotion of her feelings for him.
Her man was with her and giving her his best. Hard, deep, and steady. He was strong, and his touch unforgettable. The cock ring added pleasure, warming and enticing until it was body temperature. She raised her hips each time he thrust, and held him in for a breath each time before letting him pull back.
She didn’t want to come. She was experiencing bliss, bliss of being one with him, while her starving needs were being fed. Need to be locked in infinity with him with no possible separation was screaming through her brain, consuming her with talons that sunk deep in her flesh. “Gun!”
She cried out in her passion, no longer fighting the climax that blazed over her. Gun held her tight, his movement ceasing while she trembled in the last waves of emotion.
“Donavon.” He kissed the curve of her neck and nibbled her shoulder. “I don’t think you’re finished. Want to fuck on the bed this time?”
That Gun was trying to do things her way was an earth-shaking proposition. She held back her soft sob of happiness and hugged his neck hard, longing to tell him how sweet his comment had been. “Yeah, I’d like that.” She hadn’t succeeded in disguising the emotion in her voice and hoped he hadn’t heard it.
“Okay, hot stuff. Anything you want.” He carried her toward the bedroom, stopping long enough to grab the sack of toys she’d brought. “I’ll bring this bag of goodies along.”
Ali knew she’d done well, bringing her mate gifts. He hurried into the bedroom to lay her on the bed and then dropped down to warm her with his powerful body. The crackle of paper bag mingled with her moan of ecstasy as he parted her legs and slid into her, still hard and still wearing his cock jewelry. Caught in a tide of his making, she caught his face in her hands and forged her lips with his, drawing his breath into her lungs.
She didn’t want him to ever forget this night. He was the worst thing that ever happened to her, and yet she was grateful for the few moments in his arms. Gun was in her blood.
Tonight he wasn’t bringing the house down with his noisy comments and praise of what a great fuck she was. No, his hands spoke for him, cupping her ass to hold her up higher for his penetration, caressing her hips and her breasts. Gun was going to come, his thrusts deeper and faster until he held her so tightly she gasped for breath.
He was heavy when he relaxed and lay on her, sweet and heavy. Ali ran her hands over his hard ass and kissed his neck while he recovered.
He lifted his head and groaned, but reached for the sack she had brought. “What else you going to do to me?”
Her heart padded happily in her chest, and she hugged his waist to hold him still. “Not yet.”
“You better get that thing off me, Donavon. My dick might fall off.”
His muffled comment made her laugh.
She slid her hand down, feeling for the adornment. Now that he was finally soft, it slipped off without too much resistance.
“You’re fine now, big guy.” She raised her legs to squeeze his hips between her thighs. “Let’s get a shower and maybe have a party in the terrace doorway.”
His smile was lazy and seductive. “Aren’t you glad I waited up for you?”
“I think you’re a lot gladder than I am.” The time had come to convince the overconfident man that she could have gone somewhere else. She glanced at her watch and then at the door.
He caught her wrist and shook it a little. “You going somewhere, Donavon?”
Ali rose to her knees, shaking out her hair like a Burmese tiger getting ready to hunt. “Convince me to stay.”
Chapter 36
Gun hadn’t thought about his age in a long time. As always, their sex had been too good for a bastard like him, and now he was tired, leaning on his elbow to watch over Donavon. Gazing down at her while she napped on the floor beside him made him feel every day of his thirty-seven years.
Donavon was in prima shape, sleek and way out of his class. And she brought to the fore that he was losing a step in endurance. The woman was wearing him out.
Age was only a number, but if that was true, why did he suddenly begin to think past today?
With Donavon being so close, he experienced a gnawing need to gaze into her eyes and feel her hands on his body. He wondered if she was comfortable, warm enough, satisfied. It would be a shame to wake her up. She looked awful sweet sleeping on her belly, leaving nothing to the imagination. Yeah, she sure had a nice, round ass.
A sense of cold urgency came from the dark, firing up his growing need to keep her close.
Time was running out, and he wanted her awake, talking to him, insulting him. “Donavon.” He spoke softly, having learned quickly in their relationship that was the best way to wake her. Having grown up in a house with a passel of siblings had instilled the desire to fight if her sleep was disturbed. It had to be done carefully. “Gorgeous? You asleep?”
Her groan was soft, a veiled warning to leave her alone, but he went on with his attempt to rouse her. He smoothed his hand down her back and over the curve of her hip. His hand grazed the soft skin of her back until she sat up.
“It’s late. I have to go home.”
He laughed, her headstrong attitude not unexpected. “You can’t go home. There’s a blizzard going on out there.”
“Don’t care,” she mumbled. “Gotta go to work in the morning.”
Donavon could be a pain in the ass, but tonight he found her extremely attractive and he didn’t want her to leave.
His gaze lingered on her hair that formed a windblown halo around her face and shoulders. “Relax, baby. I’ll take you home when the storm lets up.”
She relented, letting him pull her close. They lay face to face, gazing into each other’s eyes, until she made a calm observation.
“Your hair’s dark. Your skin’s dark.” Her tone didn’t alter from quiet observation. “Just like the devil’s heart.”
He laughed. “You’ve never had anyone like me, have you?” What a woman. She knew him inside out.
“Think I’d admit it?” She combed her fingers through his hair and yawned. “Have you been asleep?”
“No, I was thinking about nailing Conteguez.”
“Anything new I should know about?”
He caught her hair in his fist and lifted the silky curls to his face and sniffed. “Our accommodations.” He could see the speculative wariness in her eyes. “We get to New York and hole up in some low-rent kitchenette.”
“No, we don’t. We take two suites at a moderately priced hotel.”
“You don’t want to stay with me?”
“The mission doesn’t require those arrangements. So, no, I don’t.”
“You will.”
He grunted when she pressed her knee to his belly. He probably deserved that for trying to hold her down. She was on her knees, glaring at him. “I hate you when you act like a grunting pig.”
Now you’ve done it. He rarely ever felt it necessary to apologize for being himself, but with Donavon, it was major. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m a hog.”
“Pig.”
“Okay, that, too.” He stroked her arm and took her hand, kissing the soft palm. “Want to hurt me or something?”
She didn’t seem to notice as he slowly pulled her back down to lie beside him, or that he was covering her with the blanket they had brought into the living room. He did hear her sleepy sigh as he spooned her against his thighs.
He allowed himself the luxury of enjoying complete surrender to her warmth and the cozy silence surrounding them.
A powerful gust of wind pounded the balcony doors and swept the snow already piled up out there, knee-deep against the glass.
“And you want to go home,” he murmured. “Better stay with me.”
She stretched out to lie on her back, turning onto her side to look out at the storm. “It’s not that bad, and I am going back to my hotel.”
“What is this sudden rule that we don’t spend the night together?” Gun caugh
t her chin in his fingers and stared intently into her eyes. “I don’t like it.”
Would he ever learn? No. He was, after all, only a dumb prick who couldn’t ever catch onto her mood changes. He needed time to figure out what she wanted to hear and why he seemed to tick her off so damned often.
Now she was getting up, looking for her clothes.
“Donavon. Wait a minute.” He flung the blanket aside and followed after her. “Hold it, damn it!”
She ignored him and pulled on her jeans and sweatshirt, then yanked on her socks and boots. “You go back to bed. I’m going home because I want to.”
He found his jeans and a heavy shirt, getting dressed quickly. She was really pissing him off this time.
“Like hell, I will.” He stomped his way to the closet and yanked his parka off the hanger. “Here. Take my gloves.” He wanted to shake her for the look of disdain she blessed him with. “Okay, I see you have some of your own. Wow. Why didn’t I already know that? Damn it!”
She wrapped her heavy shawl around her head and started for the door. “I don’t know what all the drama is about. Oh, of course. You have to be macho.” Her blue eyes narrowed on his shrinking countenance. “All this because I asserted myself and chose to spend the rest of the night in my own place, my own bed. Alone.”
He knew the possibility of ever knowing what brought this shouting match about was nil. Why was it she looked her most alluring when she was chewing his ass out or trying to take his head off?
“Donavon. You’re being a stubborn little chick right now. Talk to me.”
The woman was gorgeous in her rumpled shirt and bird’s-nest hair, absolutely no makeup, and fire in her eyes. He couldn’t take his eyes off her while she buttoned her coat.
“If you don’t get it by now, you’re just plain simple. You do not tell me anything outside work. I depend on no one but myself. I do what I want with my time and my body.” She booted the blanket out of her way. “I don’t have to stay anywhere or do anything with anyone I don’t choose to. I have a place of my own. I’m going there now.”
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