Rhythm of Love

by J. Hali Steele

  “Hey!”

  “What?”

  “Don’t touch my butt in public.”

  “Baby, I’ll touch your ass any time I want.” He leaned close to her ear and ran his tongue around the edge. Shivers danced down her spine and her vagina clenched. Christ, he made her wet with just a touch.

  She reached behind her and grasped his cock, running her hand the length of it through his pants. She gave his balls a squeeze.

  “Witch.”

  She stopped and turned to face him. She planted a soft kiss on his lips. “I can touch your cock anytime I want.” Her tongue darted out and tasted his lips.

  “Shit, I need to get you home.” He edged her around and stayed close behind her all the way to the door. Once they were outside, he released her hand and stepped back. “Look what you do to me.” He nodded toward the region of his erection.

  Bree laughed with joy.

  Carter was horny as a toad he wanted Bree so damn bad. He swerved into his drive and came to a sudden stop. Shit. Every light in his house was on. Cara’s car sat dead center at the top of his drive. He’d forgotten to remove the spare key he’d leave for her when they planned a practice session.

  He got out, closed the door and went to intercept Bree.

  Holding her by the shoulders, he looked in her eyes and he said, “I always left a key and she’s used it. I don’t know what she said to you last night or what she’s planned. Bree, I. Never. Touched. Her. You have to believe that.”

  “I do.”

  Thank God. He didn’t want to have to fight that demon. Trust, or lack of it, could tear a relationship apart. Shit, I’m in a relationship. She’d looked at him with such adoring eyes. How the hell was he going to get her friend out of his house without someone being hurt?

  “Come on. I’ll get rid of her.”

  “No you won’t. I will.” She walked ahead of him into the house. The living room was empty but he smelled Chinese food. He peered into the kitchen. No sign of Cara. Just a couple of takeout cartons on the table. They turned at the sound of steps coming down the hall.

  “Oh, hey, Carter. I got your favorite. Pepper steak with lots of hot sauce.”

  “Cara, why are you here? I made it plain—I’m not your partner anymore.” His tone was hard, devoid of feeling.

  “You’re just upset, you’ll feel different in a few days.” He watched her walk past Bree without a word and into the kitchen. Dishes clinked together as she pulled them from the cabinet.

  “Cara, I…”

  “Carter, let me handle this.” Bree walked behind her friend. The jangle of the door bell surprised him. He opened it and Kevin stood there looking like a lost lamb.

  “You may as well come in.”

  “Is she here?”

  “Yeah, she’s in the kitchen with Bree.”

  “Hell, that can’t be good.” Kevin’s brow lifted in surprise.

  “Tell me. What gets into her, man?”

  “She wants so much. I know I’m good for her. She needs to trust me, Carter.”

  “Well, for now I’m stuck here with you. Bree wants to handle this. Want a drink?”

  “Sure. Should one of us go in there?” Kevin moved to sit on the couch, while he went to the bar to mix a batch of martinis.

  “You want to go in?” He handed Kev his cocktail.

  “Hell no.”

  They each drained their first glass, Carter poured another and Kev accepted a second round. “I don’t usually have this much but I may need it tonight. Bottoms up.”

  The sound of glass crashing to the floor snatched his eyes to the kitchen door. He twisted from the bar and took two steps in that direction when it flew open, banged the wall and Cara barreled through. Bree hot on her ass. The look on both women’s faces said, “Shut the fuck up.” He didn’t open his mouth.

  “To hell with you both,” Cara said. “I don’t need either of you.”

  Poor Kevin glanced back and forth, unsure what to do. Carter knew what he wanted. He walked to the front door and opened it. “Have a nice evening, Cara.”

  “Screw you. Kev, let’s go. Now.”

  “Let me finish my drink.”

  “I said now!”

  “And I said wait. Or you can leave in your car.” She sputtered and shifted foot to foot. Kev had barely touched his second glass. Taking only a small sip, he sat it on the bar. “Now, I’m ready.” He followed her to the door, spun around, hunched his shoulders and winked at Carter.

  Good for him. Cara had been put in her place twice tonight. Might be hope for her yet.

  Bree’s cool-as-ice voice reached him. “No need in wasting a good meal. You hungry?” She stood straight, her shoulders back, her chin tilted defiantly in the air. Her mouth curved just a little bit at the corners.

  “Yeah, I am.” He wasn’t sure what had happened in there, but it must have been settled between the two of them. They ate in silence. Curious about her and Cara’s conversation, he wondered when she’d tell him. He didn’t push. She’d open up when she was ready.

  “You can leave the dishes. I have a lady come in every afternoon to clean and straighten things up.”

  “Oh.”

  He stood and went behind her chair. He lifted her wavy hair, bent and planted a kiss on her neck. He traced down her shoulder with his tongue and felt her shudder. He straightened and began to massage her arms and neck. He ran his hands down her back, kneaded the muscles along her spine until she moaned.

  “Feel like a hot shower?”

  “Uh-huh.” She followed him to his room. A bag sat in the center of his bed. Victoria’s Secret. “You didn’t?” Her face glowed, tears shimmered in her eyes.

  “I told you I would.” He walked over and emptied the bag. Over a dozen pair of string bikinis fell out. He’d bought one in every color. The women shopping in the store had all smiled at him and tried to offer assistance as he carefully selected each pair. He’d turned them all down.

  He pulled her into his arms and planted a kiss on the tip of her nose. “I keep my word.” He took her hands and backed into the bathroom, pulling her along.

  He unbuttoned his shirt and removed it. She watched. He kicked off his shoes and undid his pants. He stared at her as he eased the zipper down. Her eyes moved with his hand. Shit, the way she gazed at him made his cock come alive. He’d have trouble getting his slacks past it. He shoved them over his hips and the painful erection. They ended in a puddle with his socks at his feet. He almost came when her pink tongue poked out and wet her lips.

  “I need you, Bree.”

  Her insides fluttered wildly as liquid pooled at the entrance of her core, soaking her panties. His shaft jutted in front of her. She wanted to fall to her knees and worship it with her tongue.

  When he turned to the shower and started the water, she ogled his tight behind. Her palms itched to run along his flank, caress his hard butt, sweep down his strong thighs. He turned to face her.

  “Undress for me, baby. Real slow.”

  Tonight she’d worn a simple, short, copper sheath that shimmered in the light. Its hem rested only inches below her cheeks. She reached down and started to pull it up. She moved her hips side to side, letting the silky material slide over her butt and up her stomach. It sent a sensuous tremor through her when she saw the familiar fire smolder in his gray eyes. His fists clenched and released at his sides.

  Bree pulled the dress over her head and shook out her long curls. The room had grown steamy from the hot shower. Beads of sweat glistened on his chest and a rivulet ran down and across his ripped abdomen. She envisioned her tongue capturing it, laving his navel. She wanted to trace a line along the thin trail of hair leading to his penis. The tip of it was shiny with a drop of pre-cum. It teased her as it slipped down the shaft.

  Her knees buckled and she planted her hand on the wall beside her when he grasped his cock and worked the skin back and forth. He pinched the smooth dark head, squeezed another pearly dot of liquid from the slit. She groaned, a sou
nd that leapt from the walls. She moved closer to him, put her hands on his chest and ruffled her fingers over the dusting of dark hair there.

  Bending forward, she stabbed a hard nipple with her tongue. She pulled it into her mouth and suckled. She drew lazy circles around the nub and kissed it. Not done, she nibbled on the other bud, bit hard enough to make him tremble. He pushed his cock between her legs. He continued to stroke it with his hand until he nudged it into her wet folds. Her hips spiked forward and she lost control of her body. It belonged to him.

  “Shit.” He gripped her around the waist and yanked her hard against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her and stepped into the shower. His mouth crushed hers. She opened to receive him, taste him. Their tongues danced together. He was so sweet.

  As soon as Bree’s feet touched the porcelain, he clutched her breasts, plucked and pinched her hard peaks until she ground on his erection. She rocked up and down on the stiff length, wanting penetration. He flipped her toward the wall where the hot water cascaded down her back. He shoved a hand between her legs and plowed through the hot, swollen creases of her pussy.

  “Oh yes. More, Carter, please,” she begged.

  When his shaft prodded between her cheeks, air wheezed from her lungs. His arm encircled her belly, pulled her back and gave her room to bend. His knee wedged her legs open wider and his cock slipped inside her.

  “Sweet Lord, you’re so wet,” he moaned in her ear. He nipped at her shoulder as he stroked deep inside her. His free hand played with her clit. She shoved back each time he plunged forward. Her hands braced on the wall kept her from losing her balance as he plundered her channel. She could feel his balls touch her. “I want you to come all over my cock, baby.”

  Forward, back, deep and shallow. Hard, soft, fast and slow. He fucked her like there was no tomorrow and she reveled in it. Prayed tomorrow took its time. She gave as good as she got. The wave of pleasure rode up on her so fast she thought she’d die from the sheer force of it. Her canal tightened around his thick penis and milked him, pulled him farther inside.

  “Carter, come with me. Now,” she yelled, the sound echoing around the stall. He pistoned inside her, then slowed to short, jerky strokes. He came. The hot spurt of seed met her flow, dousing the fire in her body. Her knees gave way and he held her with her ass tight against him.

  “Bree. Bree, baby.” Her name was a guttural rasp bitten out between clenched teeth. He continued to pump her with his cock until his balls emptied. “I can’t get enough of you.” He straightened her body, but still held onto her.

  She’d found heaven in this man’s arms. Didn’t want to lose it. Ever.

  He helped her from the shower, resting her with her butt pressed to the counter. He used a plush towel to dry her, pushing it gently between her legs. She shuddered at the feel of the rough terry cloth on her sensitive lips. He kissed her while he took care of her. He grabbed another large cloth and ran it through her hair, wrapping it around her head.

  “Stay with me, Bree.”

  “Carter…I…”

  “You want to, I know it. Don’t leave. Be with me always.”

  “Can we make it work? Living together, working and dancing together. We’d see each other every day, all day.”

  “You’re right.” His brow puckered in a perplexed look. “Bree, you’re fired.”

  “What?”

  “Now we don’t work together.” The dark stubble on his face barely hid the flush of color there. She reached up to touch his jaw, pushed his dark hair back and smiled at him.

  “Guess I’ll have to stay with you then. But only because I don’t have a job anymore.” She laughed.

  “And you love me.”

  “Who says?”

  He turned her to face the mirror. The steam in the room lay on every surface but had left a very distinguishable shadow of the oily print she’d put on the glass this morning. The shape of a heart and her words stared back at her.

  Bree loves Carter.

  “I love you too, babe.”

  About the Author

  J. Hali Steele currently lives in Southeastern Pennsylvania but her dream is to return to the high desert of California. She shares space with four furfriends (cats) and enjoys spending time with family and friends. Her passion has always been reading romance novels, especially those with vampires and happy endings.

  A multi-published author, J. Hali is a member of the RWA and its Passionate Ink chapter. When she’s not writing, she can be found snuggling in front of the TV with a good book, a cat in her lap and a cup of coffee.

  The author welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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  Also by J. Hali Steele

  Hard Case

  Hope in Love

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