by Mari Carr
“Wasn’t raining at the time.”
“Doesn’t matter. He knows he left you out here. Did he come back?”
She lifted her hands in a silent duh. “Would I be sitting here if he had?”
“Guess that depends on how pissed off you were.”
“Not that damn mad.” She sighed. “You’re right. He’s a fucking asshole.”
“What happened?”
“We went to Cruisers together. I excused myself to go to the ladies’ room and when I came back, the jackass was kissing someone else. I told him to take me home. We got in a big fight on the way to town and I decided I’d rather walk home than spend one more second with the idiot. He stopped. I got out. He spun tires when he pulled away. Big dramatic scene. And now I feel like the idiot.”
“Didn’t realize the two of you were a thing.”
She shrugged. “We weren’t really. We’ve gone out to dinner a few of times. Gotten pizza and watched movies at my place once. Tonight was our fifth date. And our last.”
“I didn’t think you liked the guy.”
“When did I say that?” she asked.
“That day you were crying. When you told me that Missy kissed him.”
She laughed. “Jesus. I was thirteen, Logan.”
“Sounds like your first impression was the right one.”
Lacy couldn’t argue with that. “Yeah. I guess it was. Thanks for stopping.”
He looked at her incredulously. “As if I’d right drive past you.”
They chatted for a little while about the weather and a Christmas concert Ty’s Collective was going to play. It took her a few minutes to realize Logan wasn’t headed back into town.
“Where are we going?”
“Pit stop.” She didn’t question him. After all, he’d saved her from a very long, very wet walk home. It wasn’t until they turned onto the lane to Bucky’s house that she figured out what Logan intended.
“Uh, Logan—”
He raised his hand to cut her off. “Won’t be a minute,” he said as he put the truck in park outside Bucky’s house.
Lacy watched as he got out of the vehicle, walked to the front door and knocked. The front porch light turned on as Bucky walked out. Though she couldn’t hear a word that was said, she could read the body language just fine. Clearly Logan was explaining a few things to Bucky, who still seemed to think he was in the right. The conversation ended when Logan punched Bucky in the stomach. Bucky didn’t bother to return the favor. Clever man just remained bent over at the waist as Logan walked away.
“You hit him?” Lacy said when Logan returned to the truck.
“I didn’t like some of the things he was saying about you.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m not repeating them. Stay away from him. He’s an asshole. Find yourself a nice guy.”
Lacy smiled. She already had.
Chapter Two
Logan hadn’t planned to kiss her. That was his first thought the second his mouth pressed against hers. Her silence on the ride home had bothered him because Lacy was never quiet.
She’d been flirting on the dance floor. At first he’d assumed she was tipsy and feeling playful. So he’d given her a dose of her own medicine, teasing her back.
Then he realized she was relatively sober, and her touches took on a much different meaning.
It had been no secret that Lacy’d always had a crush on him. That idea had been cute when they were younger. He was eight years older than her and she’d only been a kid. Her doe-eyed devotion had fed his teenage pride, but that was all it had done.
Once she had grown up, she’d started looking in a different direction. She’d had a couple of serious boyfriends and she didn’t seem to lack for dates. Whenever they ran into each other, they were cordial, friendly, and Logan had worked damn hard to make sure it was nothing else. He hadn’t always succeeded, but for the most part, he’d kept his thoughts pure.
Sort of.
Somewhat.
He assumed Lacy had given up the crush after he’d gotten into a serious relationship and she’d lost interest. She had begun to simply view him as Evan’s best friend, another brother figure, which was fine by him. It had helped him keep his hands off her this past year.
Because she was definitely off-limits.
For one thing, his needs would probably scare sweet Lacy Sparks spitless if he ever revealed them. And secondly, Evan would cut off his cock and feed it to him for breakfast if he touched her, because his best friend knew perfectly well all the things Logan liked to do with—and to—women in the bedroom. And they weren’t things you did with your best friend’s kid sister.
Hell, he’d spent the first couple hours of tonight drinking a beer in his workshop with Tyson and Evan, telling both men why he was finished with sweet, nice women, why he would never be happy in another vanilla relationship like the passionless existence he’d escaped with Jane.
He had probably gone into too much detail, talking about all the things he’d do to the next lover he took to bed. Evan and Tyson were likeminded guys—dominant lovers with a penchant for kink. However, neither of them held a candle to Logan. Which was why they’d been so surprised when he had eschewed that lifestyle and remained with Jane.
So when Lacy had opened her mouth to say goodbye, Logan should have let her. Instead, he reacted without thinking. Because he didn’t want to let her go. Not yet.
He expected her to shove him away, to give him shit for the kiss, but she did neither. Instead, her arms tightened around his neck and her hands found his hair again. Lacy touched him like he mattered, like she wanted him. It was a heady, horny experience.
He twisted her body toward him while keeping his lips on hers. Lacy followed the direction, lifting and parting her legs as he tugged her onto his lap. Thank God he’d kept his old truck rather that opting for the new one with the bucket seats. The wide bench seat allowed him to drag her closer as she straddled his legs and press his dick against her.
He could feel the heat radiating from her even through the thick denim of his jeans. His cock was so hard it hurt. Logan raced through his memories, searching for a time when he’d wanted a woman this much.
The truth hit him like a two-by-four between the eyes. He’d never wanted anyone—not even Jane—as badly as he wanted Lacy right now.
“Want you,” he said when she turned her face slightly, seeking air. He couldn’t stop kissing her, so he ran his lips along her neck.
“Yes,” she whispered.
The windows of the truck had fogged up, shielding them from the outside world, but that didn’t change the fact they were still parked on the city street. Of course, this was Maris and it was three a.m. Most of Lacy’s neighbors had no doubt turned in hours ago. He considered inviting himself up to her place, but realized he’d never make it that far.
So it was happening here.
Decision made, he rucked the miniskirt that had been riding high around her thighs to her waist.
Then he reached down and bit back a groan as he tugged her panties to one side and ran his fingers over her slit. She was hot and wet. She jerked when he ventured lower and thrust two fingers inside her pussy. Her body clenched around them tightly. Jesus. She was already close to coming. He wanted to see that. Wanted to watch her face.
But he needed to slow this party down or it would be over before it ever started.
Logan put a few inches between them, pulling his fingers out.
Lacy frowned and shook her head. “Don’t—”
“Shh. Lift your shirt, Lace.”
With clumsy, shaking fingers, she managed to tug the hem above her breasts. He’d had a hard time keeping his eyes above her neck all night. Somehow he had found a way. It probably helped that her overprotective brother and Tyson had been at the table.
Now, he took time to enjoy the feast. Logan had known Lacy her entire life, so he knew down to the day when she’d gotten boobs. However, back then, she’d been a kid wh
ile he had been a man, and the only thing he’d done with the knowledge that she was filling out was tease the fuck out of Evan with it, claiming he’d have to beat the boys away with a stick.
Logan shouldn’t be here. Shouldn’t be staring at Lacy’s tits like a starving man eyeing a steak. But he couldn’t look away. He reached out and tugged her silky bra down, cupping the bottom of her breasts to push them out and over the material. The second her pink nipples appeared, all bets were off.
He lowered his head, sucking one of her nipples into his mouth. Lacy’s hands found his hair once more, and she used her grip to hold him in place. The effort was wasted. He wasn’t going anywhere. He increased the suction, taking it to that place right on the borderline between pleasure and pain.
He was just about to ease off when Lacy groaned. “Harder.”
Logan struggled with the request. He didn’t want to hurt her, scare her. Rather than give in, he cupped her other breast with his hand, squeezing the generous flesh. She fidgeted on his lap, seeking relief as she tried to press her crotch against his.
He lifted his head, forced himself to look at her. This was Lacy. She didn’t deserve for him to give her false hope or the impression that this would lead somewhere. Nothing could come from this because he couldn’t be the kind of man she wanted, that she deserved.
What the fuck was he doing?
She didn’t appear to notice his hesitance. Instead, she covered his hand on her breast and peered at him with sultry fuck-me eyes. “Pinch my nipple,” she whispered.
His thumb and forefinger were there before his brain could engage. He applied pressure as he studied her face. Lacy never looked away as her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, not with embarrassment, but with longing.
Once again, he held back. It went against everything in his nature to stop, but he had to. He had sworn he wouldn’t settle for another vanilla relationship. Wouldn’t hide his dominant urges, his need for control. Lacy wasn’t the woman he needed. She was sweet and loving. The kind of girl a man married. Not the kind you tied to your bed and fucked like a two-bit hooker.
“Please.” Lacy bit her lip, her tone rife with frustration. “I need…I need…”
A light went on inside his brain. He increased the pressure and pinched her nipple hard.
He was rewarded by her loud moan as Lacy threw her head back in absolute bliss. She was responding to the pain.
Logan’s cock thickened even more and he found it difficult to suck in a deep breath.
Fuck him.
This was bad. Really bad.
He needed to call a halt, to get out of here before he lost the battle.
Unfortunately, Lacy’s actions sealed her fate. And his.
She reached down to stroke her clit, two of her fingers sliding into her own body. The damn woman intended to give herself an orgasm.
Hell no.
The Dom inside came roaring to the forefront. His women were not responsible for finding their own pleasure. Not unless he told them to so he could watch.
He gripped her wrist firmly, stopping her actions.
Lacy tried to shrug him off. She was too close and out of her mind with need to understand what she was doing.
“Stop, Lacy. Now!”
Her entire body froze as his deep-voiced command came out too forcefully, too loud.
“Logan—”
“Hush. I know what you need.”
He leaned back slightly to watch her as he shoved three fingers between her legs.
She blinked rapidly, gasping loudly. Her hips thrust in time to the rhythm of his fingers. Lacy wasn’t shy about taking what she needed. He liked that.
The last year they were together, Jane had become passive in bed, nonresponsive. Half the time, he never had a clue if she loved what he was doing or hated it.
He pushed the thought of his ex out of his mind. Fuck that. There was no place for Jane here.
Lacy continued to gyrate, moving faster. “God, yes,” she groaned. “Harder. Do it harder.”
Logan had been worried about hurting her, but her request set that concern to rest. He moved his fingers deeper. She was so fucking tight. He couldn’t wait to get his cock inside her.
But first…
He rubbed her clit with his thumb and Lacy started to scream. Logan gripped the back of her head and covered her mouth with his, capturing the sound. The last thing he needed was for someone to call the cops. He could see it now. Evan roaring down the street in his patrol car with the lights flashing and siren blasting only to discover his best friend with his fingers buried deep inside his little sister.
He wouldn’t have to worry about being arrested. Evan would simply pull out his gun and shoot him.
Lacy was the one to break the kiss as her orgasm began to wane. She panted, her eyes resting on his face unseeingly. He wasn’t sure where her climax had taken her, but she wasn’t back yet.
It gave him some time to consider what had just happened. He’d just finger-fucked Lacy to an orgasm. And he hadn’t been gentle about it.
This was Evan’s sister. Not only did the promise they’d made to each other all those years ago hover in the air like a swarm of killer bees, but so did the fact that Evan knew him, knew what he liked in the bedroom too well. He’d never approve of this.
He shouldn’t do this.
No. He couldn’t do this.
He slowly dragged his fingers out of her, her pussy walls fluttering against them. She would feel like heaven on his dick. They sat in silence for a few moments as he gave her time to recover. And himself time to figure out how to end this without hurting her feelings.
“Lacy—”
She shook her head and placed a quick kiss on his lips. “No. Don’t say it. We both know the reasons we shouldn’t do this. There’s no need to list them.”
“I shouldn’t have started it. Shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”
Lacy grinned and gave him a friendly shrug. “You don’t really expect me to complain, do you? I’m still sort of flying high from that orgasm.”
He chuckled. Leave it to Lacy to take what should have been a damn awkward situation and make it funny.
“My relationship with Jane…it ended badly.”
“Okay.” The word belied the tone. Lacy didn’t understand. “So…the timing is bad?”
He shook his head. He was over Jane before she’d pulled away from the curb. Maybe he should feel guilty about that, but she hadn’t shed any tears either. As far as breakups went, theirs had been as lackluster as the last year of the relationship. If anything, she’d fucked up his head more than his heart.
“No. Not really. After she left, I took some time to reevaluate my life, my priorities. To decide what I want and need.”
Jane was everything he’d always thought he wanted in a woman. Sophisticated, stylish, elegant, educated. She wasn’t from Maris. She was big city. Prep school. And a far cry from every woman in town.
Evan claimed Logan had been attracted to her because she reminded him of Yvette. Yvette had been the first woman to expose his penchant for BDSM. While their affections hadn’t been engaged, their sexual attraction had been off the charts. Yvette and Jane had many similar attributes and, looking back, Logan figured his friend had probably been right. He probably had homed in on Jane and thought she was the complete package. Sexual attraction and love. He thought he’d found both in her.
Jane was an artist, a sculptor, and they’d spent hours together following their creative endeavors and sharing their love for the work. She had been attentive, intellectual, interesting. He’d fallen for her hard.
However, the chemistry they shared initially had morphed into something much less chemical—although it was certainly toxic—over the years. He had believed her the perfect submissive to his dominant tendencies because in the beginning, she had let him believe that she shared the same interests.
As more time passed, Jane began to balk at his sexual requests until finally, at the end, she ac
ted as if he were a monster anytime he suggested bondage or a sensual spanking or wax play. That was when he’d discovered she had started a long-distance, online flirtation with an old boyfriend. Apparently, the guy convinced her BDSM was something enjoyed by sociopaths, so she packed her bags.
“And I don’t fit the bill?” Lacy asked. “As far as these needs go?”
Logan was worried if they took these explorations much further, he’d discover that she fit perfectly. But what would happen a few years down the road? Would she still feel the same? He never wanted to be a monster in Lacy’s eyes.
“Evan.” He merely spoke her brother’s name. More for himself than her.
She rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe that stupid bro code thing is still in effect. You guys made that silly promise when you were in high school. We’re all adults now.”
He needed to explain, needed her to understand why, though the promise they’d made back then had been based on something childish and immature, it still remained today. Because of the man he’d become, because of his need for control. Evan knew way too much about Logan’s bedroom habits. He wouldn’t like the idea of his sister on the receiving end of them, even if she did enjoy them.
And given Lacy’s responses to him tonight, Logan was pretty sure she’d love submitting to him. For now.
“I’m not an easy man to be with, Lacy. Evan knows that.”
She frowned, obviously confused. “Evan is your best friend. He loves you, Logan. I hardly think that would be the case if you were an asshole or something.”
“I just got out of a relationship where I basically had to shut away a big part of who I was. I spent years denying my needs in the name of love. When Jane left, I swore I wouldn’t do that again. Wouldn’t pretend to be anything other than the man I am.”
“I’m not asking you to change. I would never do that. I’m not even asking for a relationship, Logan. Just a hookup.”
Her words were a lie. He knew her well enough to understand that. But Lacy knew him, too, which was why she knew exactly what to say right now to diffuse the situation. She thought that by convincing him the stakes were low, he’d give in.