by Marie Harte
“Yeah, that’ll go over like a lead balloon.”
Jack heard her as he ushered her inside the restaurant, because he grinned and said, “Let me guess. Still not over Dex blackmailing her into going to his prom, eh?”
“If you know Maya, you know she holds grudges.”
“Gee, Ann. She was so nice to me at the store last week. I can’t imagine Maya would ever be brutal, in any situation.”
“Funny. So let’s have dinner.”
“Right. With our clothes on.” He said that a little too loudly, because more than one person turned to them.
Flushing with embarrassment, she punched him in the arm.
He chuckled. “Sorry. Hey, our table’s ready.”
They sat down and ordered. After a while Ann realized they were still studying each other. Jack shook his head.
“What?”
“I still want to do you.”
“So romantic.” She tried not to blush but couldn’t help the burst of pleasure that came with being found desirable.
“I’m trying to have a casual dining experience here. But all I can think about is last Saturday…”
When he’d made her scream his name. Talk about a talented tongue.
“So what do I have to look forward to this weekend?”
His wicked grin confirmed her worst fears and dampened her panties. He wouldn’t go easy on her. Especially now that he knew how much she liked being bossed around. And spanked. And having her hair pulled.
“Oh, I have a few things in mind.” He paused. “Is it just me? Or did it get really hot in here?”
“Stop.” She looked around to make sure they weren’t being spied on, then focused on him again. His eyes were so blue. Even the stubble on his chin looked sexy. She wondered if he knew that and forced himself not to shave just to grow that stubble.
He watched her without blinking. “What?”
“What what?”
“I like the way you’re looking at me. Like you’re so in lust you can’t see straight. That or you’re just really hungry for dinner.”
She blew out a breath. “I thought this was a casual date. Talk about something other than sex.” Inspiration struck. “Tell me about your parents. Or Dan and Julie. How was San Diego?”
Jack sighed. “Yeah, that’ll kill the mood. Dan and Julie are great. Apparently the trip went well.” He discussed his brother’s job and his sister-in-law’s amazing capacity for tolerating Dan’s neuroses. “Julie just laughs at him. I’m surprised each and every time I see him alive after he leaves his dirty socks in the living room.”
“True love. The ability to look past laundry.” She snickered.
“Smartass.”
The waiter arrived with their food and they dug in.
Jack pointed his fork at her. “So tell me about your family. Your mom and dad are okay?”
“Great. In Europe through Christmas. They’re still in love after nearly thirty years. That’s the exception these days, not the rule.”
“Exception?”
“Couples who don’t divorce. It’s depressing. What’s the point of dating, you know?”
He gave her a naughty smile. “Oh, there are merits to dating.” At her look of disgust, he laughed. “Come on. It’s nice to have someone you can trust that way. Intimately, I mean. But think about it, Ann. Coming home to share your day. Movies, dinners, spending time together with someone who loves you and can show you in so many creative ways.”
She glanced down at her plate, uncomfortable with the way he seemed to be looking at her. Had he seen the longing in her eyes? She sure hoped not. Granted, a fantasy of him being her special someone was all nice and good, but far from reality.
“Isn’t that something you want?” he asked.
She nodded and continued to concentrate on her plate. “Eventually. I don’t know. Relationships are a lot of compromise. My parents argue then spend their time making up with kisses and laughter. They’ve had their ups and downs. But their relationship is so true, so real. I’m just worried I’ll never find something like that.” She stopped herself from rambling, mortified she’d been so candid. But when she chanced a look at his face, she saw only his understanding.
“Tell me about it. Not only do I have my parents to deal with, I have Dan and Julie. My folks are celebrating their thirty-fifth anniversary this year. Dan and Julie their tenth. And me? I’m the loser who broke up with yet another girlfriend. My mom is on me about grandkids daily, as if Josh and Julie and Dan’s next one isn’t enough.”
“Julie’s pregnant?”
He smiled. “Yep. I’m going to be an uncle twice over.”
“That’s terrific. Congratulations.”
His goofy grin brought down another part of the wall holding her heart safe from him. How could she not feel such affection for a man who not only rocked her world, but doted on his family? She loved children, and clearly Jack did too.
Then she remembered that they’d once almost had a child between them. And it shocked her, because she never dwelled on that time in her past.
“Hey. You okay?” He sounded concerned.
She forced herself to cough to explain the shine in her eyes. “Sorry. Hot pepper.”
He relaxed. “Good. I mean, I thought I’d said something to upset you. Not my fault. I told you not to order the hotter stuff.”
They teased good-naturedly, argued over the bill, which he insisted on paying, then ended the dinner with a plan to meet again Friday night.
“Remember,” he said as he walked her to her car. “I won you. You’re mine for twenty-four hours. Friday to Saturday night. Your place, because, yeah, I’m still living with my brother. And no way I can do all the things I want to with my nephew in the next room playing with Legos.”
“Good point. But I don’t think winning the bet entitles you to my house too.”
“Sure it does.” He stepped closer, backing her against her car. “Every part of you is mine Friday night. You have no idea how hard it’s been waiting.” He fused his body to hers, so she felt exactly how hard it had been—and still was.
The kiss, when it came, demanded a response, and she gave it to him. Moaning into his mouth, clinging to his shoulders, she felt possessed.
He pulled away slowly and smiled. She just stared, wondering how he continued to do that. Melting her into a puddle of obedience with a kiss.
“Oh yeah,” he promised in a low voice. “I’m going to own that pussy, that mouth and that ass Friday night.”
She swallowed hard, trying not to be aroused and failing miserably. “Ass?” she squeaked.
His menacing smile aroused her. “Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle. At first.” He kissed her again and stepped back. “See you soon, angel.”
“Again with the angel,” she muttered, watching him walk to his car. She got into her own and sat there, tapping the steering wheel.
The man was dangerous, no two ways about it. He played her like a master, and she kept falling for his moves. The sweet pet name. The fiery kisses. The incredible smell of his cologne that lingered just under his skin. Not overpowering, but seductive all the same.
How could she protect herself from the man if she found herself falling for him all over again? And after Maya had bet money on her…
Laughing to herself, a bit hysterically, she did her best to pretend they had nothing between them but sex.
And knew she was telling herself one whopper of a lie.
Chapter Nine
Friday night. Jack knew he’d arrived early. He didn’t care. He hadn’t been able to think past the idea of having Ann under him for the next twenty-four hours. Even his introduction to his new job yesterday hadn’t dissuaded him from planning on how best to use his time with Ann.
Every minute spent with her only pushed home how right they were together. The hike. The sex—my God, the sex. Scintillating conversation, compatible senses of humor… The only thing he didn’t like was the way Ann held back from him. He could see
the wariness in her big blue eyes when she watched him. He didn’t like it. He wanted to see her surrender, to see that the love between them had only been buried, not exhausted.
Tonight he planned to push past her comfort zone into some hard-hitting truths. In between making her come and cry out his name.
He grinned to himself and pressed the doorbell.
A frown answered him as the door opened. “You’re early.”
Ann wore a robe and had her hair up in a bun that made him hunger to take it down—but only after he’d kissed, sucked and licked every inch of her first.
“You’re not dressed.” He forced a frown. “Did we or did we not have a bet?”
“Oh, stuff it. I’m still getting ready. Go sit in the living room.”
He swore he heard her say jackass before she stomped down the hall and disappeared.
A glance around showed him more of Ann. The house was cozy. Neat, comfortable and colorful. She had a few pictures of her family and friends. None of him. But then, why would she? Still, it bothered him. He wanted to see a few photos of them smiling together. Them backpacking, touring Germany, France. Taking in a sunset at the beach. An awesome fantasy of a future he’d once dreamed about.
As he’d feared, coming back to Bend had been about more than reconnecting with family. Ann had been a large part in his decision as well. He wanted marriage, a family, and the one woman who should have been by his side and wasn’t.
Ann’s footsteps echoed on the hardwood floor. He grinned as he noticed the shuttered blinds all around. Ann knew he’d go freaky on her from the start. Smart girl. “Are you wearing what I sent you?”
“How did you know my size?” she asked, her voice coming from right behind him.
Remembering what he’d purchased, he felt his blood race, his cock hardened and he had to swallow past the lump in his throat. Pouncing on her would not send the right message. Though he planned on making love to her all night, he needed to pace himself. He wanted her so hooked on his body that he’d be in her mind and heart before she could push him back out. He’d make sure she never looked at another man again for pleasure. Or love and affection.
Now that he’d finally admitted to himself that he had to have her and no one else, he forced himself to relax. Roll with it. She’s yours. Act the part. Be the man.
He unbuttoned the top of his shirt and sighed. With his knees spread, and relaxing into her couch, he felt like a sultan awaiting his servant and smiled at the thought. “Come here, girl.”
“Girl? Really?”
He stifled laughter. “I could call you slave.”
“No, no. Girl is fine. Bad enough I really do feel like a harem girl in this stupid outfit.” She moved in front of him and waited.
He took his time studying her, wondering if a man could orgasm from sight alone. She wore red high heels, a miniscule black skirt that cupped her ass, and a bikini top that might as well have been a length of dental floss with two tiny triangles for all that it didn’t cover her. The top barely hid her nipples but allowed him to see her full breasts and taut belly.
“Very nice. Any underwear?” He’d told her to leave it off.
“No.”
“How about ‘No, Master’?”
“How about ‘Kiss my ass’?” she said sweetly.
“Sure thing. Turn around.”
She blinked at him. “Ah, I was just kidding.”
“I’m not. You don’t do what I tell you to, you’ll be punished.” He spread his legs wider, trying to give his cock some relief from his constricting jeans.
She eyed him and bit her lower lip. So fucking adorable. He wanted to take her and ride her into the first of many orgasms to come. But she obeyed and turned around.
“Good girl. Don’t move,” he ordered.
She nodded, her hands by her sides.
He sat up and grabbed her thighs, delighting in the silky feel of her legs. “You shaved.”
“Everywhere. As ordered.”
Fuck. He drew in a deep breath, prayed for patience, and let it out. Then he ran his hands up her thighs to her ass. The skirt didn’t hamper him in the slightest when he pushed it up to hug her waist. The stretchy fabric had become his favorite new choice of material for all her play clothes. Because yeah, this woman turned him on, no question. One thing they wouldn’t have a problem with—their sex life.
He nudged her thighs wider, and she accommodated him on those heels that accentuated her slender calves. When he dragged his hands over her ass and down the inside of her thighs, he felt the wet heat of her desire. Needing more, he cupped her pussy.
“Jack,” she moaned and clenched her small hands into fists.
“You are fucking sexy,” he said. “And so mine.” He slid his finger inside her, closing his eyes to concentrate on how she felt.
She faltered on her heels as his finger explored. “Oh.”
“Don’t move,” he growled. He pulled his finger out and turned her around. Staring at her clean-shaven pussy, he palmed her ass and pulled her closer. Unable to wait any longer, he shoved his face close and sucked her into his mouth. Her tight clit and womanly scent went straight to his cock.
He licked her and ground his face against the sultry evidence of her need. “Want you to come,” he said between strokes of his tongue. “All over my mouth.”
“Yes, Jack. Please.” She clutched his head, grinding against his lips.
He speared her with two fingers, shoving hard and deep, and sucked her clit into his mouth, teething the nub.
She cried out as she came, and he lapped her up, wanting to devour her heart and soul. When she trembled against him, he pulled away and unbuttoned his jeans, then slid them down to his knees. He hadn’t worn underwear either.
“Sit on me.” He couldn’t help the deep timbre of his voice, or the slick shine of his cockhead.
“Condom?” she said between breaths.
“Not tonight. Not with you. I’m clean. So are you. You’re protected, right?”
“I…” She paused, and he knew if she told him to wear one, he would. Anything to get inside her. “Yeah.”
“I mean it. I’m gonna come inside you. You’re okay with that?” he asked—begged—as he guided her to straddle him.
“Well, only because I lost a bet.” Her slight grin relieved him.
And then he couldn’t think because the heat of her pussy was over him. He thrust up even as she sank down, and the deep push inside her was like coming home.
“Not gonna last long. Oh fuck,” he swore as she rode him. He gripped her ass as he pushed her up and down, her slender body milking him of pleasure. “You feel so good. So good, angel.” He couldn’t think as she took him past control, until he was fucking her harder, giving no quarter.
He wanted to kiss her again, to suck on her nipples, eat her pussy, all of it. But he couldn’t stop the rising lust rushing over him.
She bucked, gloving him in her tight pussy.
He had to be leaving bruises as he clenched her ass, but damn if he could stop himself. He was so close, so—
She slammed onto him one final time and swiveled her hips, and he lost it. “Fuck.”
Emptying inside her until he couldn’t breathe, Jack forgot everything but Ann. When he blinked his eyes open, unaware of having closed them, he saw her watching him with an unguarded expression of affection and hope. And just as suddenly, when she realized he saw her, the shutter came down.
Annoyed, spent, and needing some recovery time, he arched up into her, loving the feel of surrounding heat. Still half-hard, he refused to pull away.
“You feel good?”
She nodded, looking shy.
“Tell me how much you like my cock. Use the words.”
She colored but repeated his words.
“Tell me what you want me to do next. You want me to fuck that tight ass? Come down your throat?” He dragged his hands over her back and up, then circled to her front. He pulled down the left triangle hiding her nipple
and sucked until it stood ramrod stiff.
She rocked over him, and the sudden return of a full erection didn’t surprise him. He could go twice, quick back-to-backs, if he could stay hard long enough. Obviously not a problem with Ann.
He let go of one breast, covered it up, and exposed the other. That one he pinched and tweaked with both fingers and teeth until she was a writhing, moaning mess.
“You like what I make you feel?”
She nodded, but again he wanted the words.
He gripped her hair and pulled her head back, aware of the choppy breathing and tightening of her body around him. Ann liked it rough. Kinky. And that made him like her even more.
“Tell me exactly what you want, angel. Or you’re going to feel this cock up your ass without the lube you’re gonna need. Maybe you want it to hurt?”
She clenched tightly around him, and he swore to himself he’d make this second round last.
“I love when you grab my hair and tug. Or when you bite and slap my ass,” she confessed. She rocked over him, her motion jerky. “I want to feel you come inside me. So hard,” she moaned. “Fuck me.”
He took her nipple in his mouth and bit down, not to hurt, but enough to be firm. Sucking her wasn’t easy with her moving faster over him, but he held on and slapped her ass.
“Yeah. Oh yeah, baby.” She gripped his head and ground over him.
He couldn’t breathe, lost in lust and love. Ann might look sweet and innocent, but beneath the good girl clothes was a kinky woman who loved pleasure and took what she wanted.
He let her nipple go and shoved his face into her neck as he dragged her down over him and shot inside her again. So much need for this woman he couldn’t contain.
She kept rubbing herself against him, dragging out his orgasm, until she moaned and came with him.
The marathon sex should have tired him out. Twice in maybe half an hour. He almost wished he might have been done, because the woman would wear him out if he weren’t careful.
When he pulled his head back to look at her, he saw her satisfied smile. He wasn’t prepared for her tender kiss, or the way it deepened.