by Peyton Banks
Her smile, her breasts, her pussy, and her ass.
Her skin was soft and sweet, but he wanted her true essence on his tongue. He stood and kicked his shoes off. He removed his clothes in record speed before kneeling on the floor in front of her.
“I thought we were going to go out to get something to eat.” She gasped as he brought her to the edge of the couch and spread her legs wide for him.
In the low light, he could see her slickness coating her labia.
She was ready for him.
A growl escaped his chest, and he ran a finger along her slit. He pulled back his finger glistening with her arousal. Her eyes were locked on him while he slowly licked his fingers clean.
Her taste exploded on his tongue.
“I have my snack right here,” he murmured, covering her pussy with his mouth.
She cried out, arching her back off the couch.
He plundered her soaked core then dove his tongue between her folds, tasting her sweetness. Her taste was addicting. He wanted it all. He ran his tongue along the full length of her pussy, ending with her clitoris. He suckled her little bundle of nerves into his mouth. Her nails dug into his shoulders as he feasted on her.
He took his time, drawing her close to orgasm, teasing her, swirling his tongue around her nub before dipping into her core. Her juices coated his face, and he continued his torturing of her.
“Declan!”
He introduced a single finger into her channel. His free hand chose to explore, sliding up along her soft belly and landed on her plump breast that filled his large hand to capacity.
He was good at multitasking, and right now, he wanted to ensure that both hands were occupied.
Hers gripped his hair tight to the point where a slight stinging sensation prickled on his scalp. He smiled and latched on to her clit, introducing a second finger inside her, stretching her. He pinched her taut nipple with his other hand.
“Good God,” she cried out.
He increased the pace of his fingers. She thrust her pelvis forward as he teased her. Her muscles tightened around him, and she let loose a scream. Her pussy walls tightened on his fingers, but he refused to pause, wanting to wring this orgasm out of her. Her legs clamped down on his head, and she rode the waves of her release. “Declan!”
She chanted his name, her legs finally releasing his head. He chuckled, her body relaxing back on the couch. He took his time lapping up her release. He pulled his soaked fingers from her and licked them clean.
“Come here,” he growled.
There was no way this was ending now. She didn’t resist when he pulled her to him, turning her away from him. She knelt on the floor with her stomach braced on the couch. He reached for his jeans and withdrew the foil packet and quickly sheathed his throbbing member.
He lined up the blunt tip of his cock with her soaked entranced and thrust forward hard, eliciting a shout from both of them.
He gripped her hips tight and paused, trying to catch his breath.
“Aspen,” he ground out, pulling back and thrusting hard again.
She cried out as he repeated the motion. He couldn’t help himself.
This time would be hard and fast.
They had all night for slow and passionate.
“Yes.”
The sounds of her cries of pleasure fueled him, and he continued to pummel her slick opening with his hard length. He shot his hand out and entwined his fingers in her hair, anchoring her to him, his hips increasing their pace.
Faster.
He couldn’t get enough of her. He needed to be deeper. Her tight channel gripped him as he pushed forward. The sounds of his balls slapping against the meat of her ass filled the air. He tightened his grip on her hair, and then came the familiar tingling sensation seated deep in his balls.
The air grew heavy with the aroma of sex, and it was the best damn scent Declan had ever smelled.
“Aspen, play with your clit,” he demanded, needing her to release again. He wanted her to come on his cock this time. He dug his fingers into her skin, losing control. His hips were on autopilot. His gaze locked on the sight of his cock disappearing into her. Her ass shook with each of his hard thrusts, and he grunted his satisfaction.
She did as he commanded. The feeling of her fingers working her clit had him groaning. She buried her face into the couch and cried out. Her muscles clamped down on him, and he roared, his release shooting out of him.
Her muffled cries of passion echoed through the air. His breaths were coming hard and fast as he slammed into her.
He blinked a few times, unable to believe how quick they had gone from zero to one hundred the minute he’d stepped foot in her house.
His semi-soft cock was still buried deep inside her, and he took her all in. It had to be one of the most beautiful sights he’d ever seen.
He willed his heart to slow down and ran a hand along her back, still needing to touch her.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he asked, afraid he had been too rough in his taking of her.
“Hmmm?” Her face was still buried in the couch cushion. Her head popped up from the pillows, her dark hair falling around her shoulders.
He regretted having to withdraw his length from her warm cocoon.
She turned her toward him. He leaned back to give her room to twist around. A crooked smile graced her lips, and she shook her head.
“I asked if I hurt you?” He leaned in to place a small kiss on her lips.
A genuine smile spread across her face. “No.”
“Good.” He stood and grabbed her. He tossed her over his shoulder and carried her off to the bedroom.
“I promised you a meal and I always come through on my promises,” Declan announced, holding open the door to the diner.
“Well, I’m famished,” she giggled, walking through. “Somebody caused me to work up quite an appetite.”
He growled and pulled her under his arm. They waited for the hostess to come greet them. This was the most relaxed she had felt in a long time. Even with only short spurts of sleep, she felt refreshed, almost like a new woman.
“Just two this morning?” A young teenage girl came over to greet them.
“Yes, ma’am.” Declan nodded, not letting Aspen go.
She was comforted by the feel of him by her side. In the back of her mind, she knew this would be temporary, but she blocked that thought. She would bask in the feeling of a semi-normal…whatever this was between her and Declan.
“Follow me.” They trailed behind the young woman over to a booth. “Is this okay?”
“It’s fine. Thank you.” Declan bobbed his head at her as Aspen slid into the booth.
She gasped when he slid in next to her.
“What are you doing?” She chuckled.
The hostess handed them the menu with the promise of their waitress coming soon. She quickly took their drink orders and disappeared.
“I want you within reach of me.” He stretched his arm out along the back of the booth. They had been given a back booth where they were in the corner and could look out into the entire restaurant.
Her stomach clenched at his words. She leaned into the crook of his arm and reached for his face. She guided his lips down to meet hers in the softest of kisses.
She opened her eyes and met his green ones.
“I thought you were going to say something cheesy about not wanting your back to the restaurant.”
He laughed, placing his arm around her.
“You know that’s what they always say in the movies,” she said.
“Well, there is that, too.” He grinned.
She was enamored by his relaxed features. Her pulse sped up at his smile, and her heart longed to be able to just spill the beans about herself. Throughout the night when they weren’t wrapped up in each other, they’d talked. She’d learned much about him and had to hold back and recite what she was taught about her new self. She ached to tell him about her real life, her real past, and wh
at she had come to be.
But she couldn’t.
She knew he was a good cop, a former Navy SEAL. If she couldn’t trust someone like him, who would she be able to trust?
She already knew what US Marshal Ball would say.
No one.
“So what’s good here?” She pulled back away from him to grab her menu. They hadn’t left the cocoon of her home and bed to just to go make out in a public restaurant. She had offered to cook breakfast for them, but Declan insisted on keeping his promise.
They pored over the menu together, with him pointing out what he normally ordered. She widened her eyes at the amount of food it included and shook her head.
“I get it every time. It’s good food for your soul.” He sat with his arm along the back of the booth.
Her eyes were drawn to his hand patting his rock-hard abdomen.
“Yeah, but it would be food going directly to my ass.” She rolled her eyes and finally decided on something to eat.
“All the more you should order what I get,” he growled low.
She whipped her head to him and met his laughing eyes.
“Hell, no. It’s big enough as it is,” she muttered, trying to act offended, but she knew he had an infatuation with her plump ass. She had a bite mark on her right cheek to prove it.
“I’m just saying—”
“Dec?” a male voice called out, grabbing both of their attention.
Aspen watched as a tall, muscular man who had to be ex-military came forward with a short, brown-skinned female attached to his arm.
“Mac.” Declan stood and greeted the newcomer in a manly hug. He almost seemed nervous around the couple.
Interesting.
“Who’s your friend?” Mac’s eyes didn’t miss a beat as they turned to her.
She swallowed hard and scooted from the table.
“Mac, this is Aspen. Aspen, this is my best friend, Mac and his fiancée, Sarena.” Declan made short introductions.
“Nice to meet you.” Aspen gave a small smile and held out her hand.
Mac’s eyes were curious and guarded, while Sarena had a shit-eating grin on her face while taking Aspen’s hand.
“Why don’t you guys join us. We haven’t ordered yet,” Aspen said.
“I’m sure they will want to eat alone—”
“We’d love to join you,” Sarena replied, scooting into the booth.
Aspen didn’t miss the tense look between Mac and Declan when they took their seats. She didn’t understand: if they were best friends, why the tension?
Her smile faded as different scenarios came to mind.
She knew they hadn’t promised each other anything, but then she began to wonder if maybe Declan had someone else.
Their first dinner had been set up.
They’d had sex at her place.
When he’d left, he hadn’t asked for her number until they’d run into each other again.
They’d had sex again…at her place.
That would only make sense. He must have another woman.
The waitress decided to show up at that time to grab their orders before she disappeared again.
“So, how long have you two been dating?” Mac asked, settling back against the booth.
“We’re not,” both said in unison.
She darted her eyes to Declan, but he was in the middle of a staring standoff with his friend. She turned to Sarena who just shrugged.
“There’s no need to grill them, Marcas,” Sarena said, patting her man on the leg, clearly trying to break the tension. “It’s none of our business.”
“I just asked a question,” Mac said, breaking the stare-off to look at Sarena before turning his attention back to Declan. “Imagine my surprise at stepping into the diner and finding my best friend getting cozy with a woman he’s never mentioned to me before.”
Aspen’s muscles stiffened, her theory growing stronger in her mind by Mac’s reaction to her. She didn’t know which way this conversation was going to go and didn’t want to be the subject of an argument between friends.
She wasn’t worth it, and knowing the US Marshalls, they would probably be moving her soon.
No use in two friends arguing. She would just go. She grabbed her purse and blew out a deep breath. “Look, I’ll just take my food to go—”
“No.”
Chapter 9
Declan narrowed his eyes on his longtime friend. He was truly at a loss for words for how Mac was acting toward Aspen. It shouldn’t matter that he’d never mentioned her; it was blatantly disrespectful the way Mac was behaving.
Aspen had finally relaxed around him. The guarded look in her eyes had disappeared, and now, two minutes in Mac’s presence and her walls were back up.
“If you must know, I hadn’t mentioned Aspen because this is only the second time we’ve been out together,” he said through clenched teeth. His protective nature was rising, wanting to shield Aspen from his friend.
“But you both just said you weren’t dating.” Mac’s eyebrow lifted.
“We have to eat.”
He could feel Aspen’s tension brimming from her, but he refused to let her run off. His gut feeling told him that if she walked out of the diner now, he’d never see her again.
And that wasn’t going to happen.
Mac nodded, but Declan could see the questions in his friend’s eyes. They would have a different conversation soon, not in front of the women. He didn’t want to announce to the entire restaurant that they’d slept together twice and this was only their second date.
No, what happened between him and Aspen was their business.
Their food arrived, breaking some of the tenseness in the air. He moved his eyes to Aspen. She had withdrawn; her eyes were lowered and focused on her food.
He bit back a curse.
“So what do you?” Sarena asked Aspen.
“I work at the County Library. I’m a library assistant,” Aspen responded.
The girls began to make idle conversation, but Declan didn’t hear any of it. His attention was focused on Mac.
“We have drills starting tomorrow. Are you ready?” Mac asked.
“Always,” he replied. Their drill training was to ensure that the team remained the best. It was a few days of training practice where they trained in full gear. Their drills included practicing building entry, takedowns, and search-and-rescue. These training days were to make sure they remained sharp when out on calls.
“So where are you from?” Sarena asked.
“Arizona.”
“I’ve never been there before. I would love to go there sometime.” Sarena glanced at him and arched her eyebrow before setting down her fork. “Okay. I have to ask, because I know Marcas is not going to rest until he knows. How did you two meet?”
Declan turned to find Aspen with a small smile on her lips. Their eyes connected, and he could feel the effect of her smile on him. A giggle escaped her, and before he knew it, she fell into a full fit of hilarity. His lips curved up in a smile as he watched her sit back laughing.
“What did I say?” Sarena laughed some more, her eyes switching between Aspen and Declan.
“Well, if you must know…” Aspen paused, trying to gain control of herself. She pushed her hair behind her ear and finally held back her giggles. “A blind date.”
“What?” Sarena and Mac echoed, shock registering in both their voices.
Declan could feel his friend’s gaze on him and knew Mac would bust his balls about this. He turned and found even Mac holding back a chuckle.
“Okay, let me explain.” Declan coughed, trying to get a handle of the situation. He pushed his empty plate away from him and quickly wiped his mouth with his napkin. He didn’t want Mac or Sarena to think he had to be fixed up with blind date to find a woman.
He didn’t want to lose his man card.
“Yes, I’d like to hear an explanation on this one,” Mac drawled, settling back against the booth and draping an arm around Sare
na’s shoulders.
“Evie had been after me for a few weeks to meet her friend. She said her friend just moved to town and she trusted me to take her friend out on a date,” he began.
“She had been hounding me, too. You’d have to know Evie. She can be quite persuasive,” Aspen cut in, glancing at him. “She actually had me feeling sorry for Declan before we even met. I just figured if Evie had to fix her neighbor up—”
“Hey.” He tugged on her hair.
Declan Owen never needed to be fixed up.
“I was thinking the same thing,” he admitted with a laugh. “When she said that her friend worked at the library with her, I imagined some mousy little nerd—”
“Hey!” Aspen swatted him with her arm and laughed.
“You two are cute together.” Sarena sighed, leaning into Mac. “Aren’t they, Marcas?”
Declan took a sip of his drink, and his eyes met Mac’s. He knew they would be having a different conversation soon.
The waitress stopped by the table, interrupting them, and dropped off the checks. Declan reached for them, but Mac snatched them up.
“My treat,” Mac announced, glancing down at the slips.
“No—”
“I said I got it,” Mac cut him off, holding his hand up as he reached for his wallet.
“Hey, I’m going to run to the restroom,” Aspen murmured.
“I’ll go with you,” Sarena chimed in.
Both Declan and Mac stood to allow them to scoot out of the booth. They watched the women walk away, before turning to each other.
“Look, Mac,” he began, running hand through his hair as they took their seats again.
“I find it funny that you busted my balls when I first started my relationship with Sarena. Imagine my surprise that I find you here on a breakfast date with a woman you’ve never even mentioned to me.”
“Listen, Mac. It just happened, but there is nothing to our relationship.”
“Nothing?” Mac cocked an eyebrow.
“We came to agreement. Neither of us is expecting anything. We are just having a little fun. She knows what this is. I think that is the only reason she’s with me right now.”
“Really?”