Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Doreen DeSalvo Once A Thief 1 ChangelingPress
Doreen DeSalvo Once A Thief 1 ChangelingPress
Thief
Doreen
DeSalvo
All rights reserved.
Copyright 2004 by Doreen DeSalvo
No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or
mechanical means, including, but not limited to, printing, file sharing, and
email, without prior written permission from Changeling Press LLC.
ISBN 1-59596-010-4
Formats Available:
HTML, Adobe PDF,
Mobipocket, Microsoft
Reader
Publisher:
Changeling Press LLC
PO Box 1561
Shepherdstown, WV 25443-1561
www.ChangelingPress.com
Editor: Sheri Ross
Carucci Cover Artist:
Sahara Kelly
Chapter One
The door to Katherine's office opened with a click. She looked up at a tall
man tall, dark and broad-shouldered, wearing a denim jacket over a white Tshirt and jeans.
Jake Monroe.
Great. Just what she needed, a reminder of her ghetto roots. A reminder
of everything she'd worked so hard to leave behind.
He had the same curly black hair, cut short, and the same jutting angles
to his face. Age had added deep lines to his cheeks and bitterness to his brown
eyes.
And he looked much more dangerous than she remembered.
At least he didn't give any hint of recognizing her. Maybe she could keep
it that way.
"I'm John Monroe."
She closed his file and put it face down on her desk. She wouldn't want
to see a man like him get angry. No need to let him know she'd been reading
up on him worse, she'd been looking at his rap sheet. He'd done three years
for his first offense. Armed robbery.
When he reached over her desk to shake her hand, she rose to greet him.
"Katherine Kern. I'm an assistant district attorney for the city."
His
big,
calloused
hand
swallowed
hers
in
firm
grip.
She pulled away and motioned to the chairs that faced her desk. "Have a
seat."
He did, leaning back and sprawling his legs in front of him as if he
were lounging on a sofa watching Monday night football. Even as a punk
teenager, he'd been muscular, but now... He'd really filled out. Broad shoulders,
a solid chest, and bulging thighs that strained the denim of his jeans. Maybe
he'd spent his time behind bars working out. Or maybe he'd filled out naturally
in the ten years since she'd seen him.
Time had changed her, too. So much that he didn't seem to recognize her.
Maybe he never would. She'd kept away from his kind in high school. As
tempting as the bad boys had been, she'd known better than to play with fire.
She still knew better. Unfortunately. No wonder she hadn't had a man in
years.
She sat down and folded her arms on the desk in front of her. "You
know why you're here, John?"
"Yeah."
He sounded resentful, like one of the kids he was supposed to help. Why
had he volunteered to be a mentor if he didn't want to be here? Maybe he hadn't
volunteered. Maybe community service was a condition of his parole. "You'll
have to be a bit more communicative than that when you talk to the boy
you're mentoring. Have you prepared anything to say?"
"No."
So much for communication.
After a long moment of studying his hands, he spoke. "I can ad-lib just
fine. I want to sound natural. Natural and honest."
"Good. Kids can tell when you're lying to them."
He shrugged. "I don't have anything to hide."
He stared straight into her eyes, as if he was challenging her. Defensive
typical for an ex-con. She'd worked with a lot of them. No reason to treat Jake
Monroe any differently than the others, even if seeing him again brought back a
stupid rush of adolescent hormones.
She grabbed the file folder labeled Scott Hopkins and slid it across the
desk to him. "Here's the boy you'll be meeting tonight."
He straightened up and took it, then slouched back again and opened the
file. "Tell me about him."
"He's new to the program. His mom is in and out of rehab all the time.
His older brother supposedly takes care of him when his mother isn't home."
"Is he in a gang?"
"No. He's a loner." At least he was curious. Maybe he'd do a good job
after all. "He's been convicted of multiple misdemeanors. Our goal is to
prevent him from graduating to felonies."
"Like I did."
She might as well be frank. "Exactly."
He looked amused by her agreement. Full lips tilted up at the corners in
a little smile.. .almost a smirk.
"If you aren't going to take this seriously, you might as well leave right
now. There's no point in establishing a relationship with Scott if you're going
to flake on him."
He frowned at that. "I'm not going to flake."
"You clearly don't want to be here."
"How do you know what I want?" He gave her another long look, as if
assessing her suit. "How did you get stuck with this gig?"
"I volunteered. These kids need all the help they can get."
"Isn't it your job to prosecute criminals, not to help them?" He sounded
like he thought she had the most immoral job in the world.
"I'd prefer it if the crime was never committed in the first place."
His eyebrows lifted. "Then you'd be out of a job."
She didn't have to take this. "We have five minutes before the session
begins. If you can't be civil, you can wait in the hallway." And take those broad
shoulders with you.
"Don't get pissed off, Kate."
"It's Katherine." Wait a minute. She hadn't gone by Kate in years.
His eyes gleamed. Now his lips wore a bona fide smirk. As if he
recognized her for the scared, uptight girl she'd been all those years ago.
"So you do remember me."
His smile didn't fade. "And you remember me."
"Why didn't you say something earlier?"
"Why didn't you?"
She had no answer to that.
He leaned forward and gave her another once-over. A heated once-over,
his gaze lingering on her breasts. She clenched her hands under the desk to stop
herself from folding her arms over her chest, but the warmth in her face told her
she was blushing.
His grin was wicked. "You sure have changed. I like the buttoneddown executive look."
Was that his idea of a compliment? "I don't care what you like." Liar.
He leaned closer, resting his arms on the desk. Could just a look make
her nipples hard?
Yes. Damn him.
She wouldn't move away, no matter how much he crowded her. No
matter how rapidly her heart beat from having him this close.
"You never did," he said.
She frowned, totally confused. "What?"
"You never did care what I liked." He smiled. Slow, confident, and God
help her, sexy. "But I liked you, Kate."
Subtlety obviously wasn't one of his strong suits. He looked like he
wanted to throw her over his shoulder and carry her off. God, the image was
tempting. For once, just once, she could have a wild, dangerous man. A man she
couldn't control.
No. No, she couldn't take the risk. "Forget it."
He raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Hey, it's only natural to
wonder how much you've changed. It's been what, eight years?"
More like ten. Since graduation from high school. She'd gone to college
and tried to put the projects behind her. "Give it up, Jake."
He shook his head. "You're harsh. What's wrong with a little
reminiscing?"
"We have nothing to reminisce about, and you know it."
"Sure we do. We're from the same hood. But you probably don't live in
the Gardens anymore."
The Gardens. She'd almost forgotten the nickname they'd given the
projects. "It's none of your business where I live."
His gaze dropped to her breasts again. He looked at her like he hadn't
seen a woman in months. Well, he'd been in prison for three years. Sometimes
she felt like she'd been in prison herself a prison of self-denial, always being
the good girl. A man like him could teach her to be bad.
Very bad.
His gaze came back to her face. "Remember how we used to play
together when we were kids?"
Oh, God. They'd played Doctor. Exactly twice, under the front porch of
her grandmother's house, until they'd been caught. At age seven, this man's
penis was the first one she'd ever seen. He'd knelt on the ground at her feet,
feasting his eyes on her while she held her skirt up like a little tramp. She
hadn't been anything but curious at seven. Now, twenty years later, the thought
of having his head under her skirt made her wish she was the little tramp her
grandmother had called her.
He grinned. "I know you remember. You're blushing. I've learned a lot
since then."
Like how to steal, and God only knew what else.
He winked at her. "Let's play together again. Real soon."
Hardly a subtle offer. But God, she wished she could take him up on it.
Wished she could live dangerously for just one night in her cautious life. But not
with him, not with an ex-con fresh from prison. He'd make a good fantasy, but
the reality was just too dangerous. "In your dreams, Monroe."
He gave a low chuckle. "Oh, definitely. Now that I've seen you again,
you're going to have a starring role in my dreams."
Before she could answer, a knock came from the door. Scotty.
Thank God, a chaperone. She couldn't throw herself into Jake Monroe's
arms in
front of a teenaged chaperone.
***
Jake held the door open for Kate and stepped inside the coffee shop
behind her, squinting against the sudden brightness. Kate led the way to a booth
in the back, near the restrooms and the alcove that held the pay phones, as
far away from other customers as possible. She probably didn't want anyone to
see her with a thug like him. He couldn't really blame her.
But he did.
And he couldn't take his eyes off her ass, swaying under that conservative
wool suit as she walked briskly in front of him.
They sat down in a shiny red vinyl booth with a three inch chip on one
corner of the Formica table.
A waitress followed them and set menus down on the table the second
they were seated. "You folks want coffee?"
"Hot tea, please," Kate said, pushing the menu aside.
"Just coffee for me."
drove him crazy a light musky perfume, subtle and delicate just like her face.
He'd like to smell her without it, too. Fresh from a shower, her skin damp and
flushed with heat. Just the thought made his cock lift.
He took a sip of coffee to ease the tightness in his throat. "I liked the kid.
He says what's on his mind."
"Tonight he did, at any rate." She took the tea bag out of the tin pitcher and
put it on the saucer. Her nails were clear of polish, but nicely manicured. She
had great fingers, too. Slender, capable fingers. Just looking at her hand,
imagining it on him...his cock went rock hard. God, it didn't take much to get
him horny these days. He'd gone too long without a woman.
"He's usually very quiet," she went on. "I think you made an
impression on him."
He'd like to make an impression on her, too. On a mattress. What were the
odds? One in a thousand? "I hope so."
"It helped that you talked about your time behind bars."
Behind bars? Was that the new, politically correct way of saying he'd
been in prison?
She kept on talking. "I'm sure he never thought about how dangerous it
is. He's only done a few weeks in a juvenile facility. He has no idea what prison's
like."
Christ, couldn't she think of anything else to talk to him about? After all
these years? "Kate...stop."
"What's wrong?"
He took another sip of coffee while he tried to think of a polite answer.
"Look, I'll talk about prison for the kids, but I don't want to talk about it with
you."
She looked a little hurt, like a vulnerable woman hiding under that
competent wool suit. "Oh. I understand."
She didn't, he could see that. He set his cup down and folded his hands
in front of him. "All right. Why don't we get it out of the way? What do you
want to know?"
"Nothing." She took a sip of tea, no doubt to give herself time to think.
"It's none of my business. Really. It's fine."
She stared at the bridge of his nose, as if she couldn't bring herself to
meet his eyes.
"You want to know if I was raped in prison, don't you?"
Her eyes went wide. "No. I don't want to make you relive bad memories."
"I wasn't." His jaw clenched, feeling like it would break if he opened his
mouth, but he managed. "I was big and bad. No one messed with me after the
first guy who tried ended up with a broken jaw."
"But you were released early for good behavior." She sounded shocked,
like she'd have thrown away the key to his cell.
"He'd have ended up with more than a broken jaw if he'd ratted on me.
No one likes a snitch."
Her throat moved, like she'd swallowed. Was he bothering her with this
frank talk? He hoped so. He wanted her to think twice before she sent another
man to prison. "You're not going to ask, are you?"
"Ask what?"
He dropped his voice so the couple sitting two tables away wouldn't
hear. "If I raped anyone myself."
Her eyes widened. "No, I wasn't going to ask. I wasn't thinking of asking."
She had a good poker face most lawyers did. "I didn't," he said. "I
haven't had sex in three years."
"I wasn't curious."
Most lawyers were good liars, too. But time in prison had taught him
how to read a face, and he saw the curiosity in her eyes. "Do you know what it's
like, going for that long without sex?"
Had she nodded? No, he must have imagined it. A beautiful, elegant
woman like her could have any man she wanted. A better man than a thug like
him.
"Being without a woman.. .it's the worst thing about being in prison."
"I'm not interested."
Sure she was. And he'd tell her, because she was the closest thing to
heaven he'd seen since getting out...and because she wasn't going to let him get
any closer to her than he was right now. He wanted to punish her for that.
Punish her for making him so desperate to get between her legs.
Hell, he'd punish her just for the fun of it. Just to prove what an
undeserving bastard he was.
"You probably think it makes a man selfish. That he'll grab the first
woman he sees. That he won't want anything but a quick fuck."
She gasped a little, like she'd never heard the word.
"Well, you'd be wrong." He leaned forward, until he swore he could
smell her perfume. "It makes him fantasize about just looking at her. Looking at
her spread out on a bed, naked. Open. Waiting for him. It makes him think of a
thousand different ways to take her."
A thousand kinky ways. Ways you've never imagined in your safe little lawyer
world. His throat got tight. He had to take another sip of coffee before he could
go on. "It makes him want a whole night of fucking. Over and over.. .until you
beg me to stop."
She licked her lips. "I'm not interested."
She was interested, all right. She was so interested, she was repeating
herself. And she hadn't noticed that he'd replaced his fantasy woman with her.
"After the first year, you almost forget about the sex. You start fantasizing
about touching her, just touching her. Touching her in little ways." He moved his
hand across the table until it was next to hers. With his forefinger, he gently
stroked the side of her wrist. "Little ways.. .like this."
The tip of her tongue peeked out for a brief flash as she wet her lips.
"Stop." Her hand moved just an inch, but enough to break contact.
His own hand followed, until his forefinger barely rested against her
arm. "If you let me touch you..."
If you let me touch you, I'll have you under me in ten seconds.
Not a good thought to share with her. "I'd give anything to kiss you."
He kept his voice low. "I'd die happy if you gave me one kiss. Let me taste your
mouth just one time."
"You wouldn't be happy with just a kiss, and you know it."
She sounded angry angry and a little breathless. Did he actually have a
chance with her? "I'd stop whenever you wanted." He'd try to, at least. "I'd
start with your hair. I'll take it down from that bun..."
"It's a French twist."
"Whatever. First I'll kiss your bare, beautiful neck, with little openmouthed kisses."
And I'll bite your neck hard enough to brand you. To remind you that I was in
your bed. In your body.
"I'll unbutton that shirt so slowly, you'll wonder if I'm going to take all
night." Sounded good, but in reality he'd rip the damned thing off her. Her
breasts would be beautiful, he just knew it.
"I'll spread your shirt open real slow, and I'll look at you in your bra for a
long, long, time." He swallowed to get the hoarseness out of his voice. "I wonder
what yours looks like. One of those stretchy sports bras? Or something lacy?"
She shook her head once, but didn't speak. Her lips had parted, like she
was breathing hard.
"Something lacy, I bet. I'll touch you through your bra. Kiss you through
it." He dropped his voice so no one could hear. "Maybe I'll bite you a little. Do
you know how close pleasure can be to pain?"
He saw her throat move, but she didn't say anything. Was he exciting her?
"Yeah, I'd bite your nipples just a little, just until you were squirming.
Until you begged me to get to your skin. Then I'd take your bra off.. .and bite
you some more."
"Stop this." Her voice came out hoarse. Almost a moan.
"Why? A little fantasy never hurt anyone." He'd had years to do nothing
else. Nothing but fantasize about all the ways he wanted to take a woman. And
now, with only a week on the outside, he was rock hard over a woman who'd
never let him touch her.
"Because..." She glanced down at the table, took a deep breath, and
looked at him again, her chin raised belligerently. "It's not appropriate."
Appropriate? God, she was a starchy one. "I don't give a damn."
He slid out of the booth and sat down next to her, his torso turned to
face her. She looked shocked, eyes wide, lips parted. He leaned close, closer,
and she leaned further away, until her back was against the wall.
"What do you think you're doing?" Her voice shook. Was she frightened?
Good.
"I'm gonna kiss you."
Her hands came up to press against his chest, and she gasped. "Don't."
Her resistance made him want her even more. He'd never forced a
woman before, not even into a kiss. But now, after prison, he was one sick
bastard. Those slender hands pushing him away made him want to crush her
against him...to crush her resistance, plunder her mouth, grab her breast...to
show her how much he wanted her. To force her to want him. Right here in this
tacky diner.
One arm went around her, pulling her closer, his mouth lowering
"No, Jake. Don't. We're in public."
He stopped...and smiled down into her face. "So if we weren't in public,
you'd let me?"
Her cheeks went pale. She looked even more frightened now. Because
she wanted him? No, he couldn't be that lucky.
A clink on the table made him turn. The damned waitress, giving them
refills. Her face was bland, bored no doubt she'd seen worse things than an
ex-con trying to force himself on a classy attorney.
"You need anything else?" the waitress asked.
"No," he snapped.
"Can we have our check, please?" Kate asked.
"Sure." The waitress pulled a check out of her pocket and laid it face
down on the table, then walked away.
Kate pushed against him, hard. Damn, now she just looked pissed.
Embarrassed, maybe. He backed off, and she straightened up. With a quick
motion, she grabbed the bill with one hand and reached for her purse with the
other.
No way was he letting her pay for his cup of coffee. He reached for the
check, but she pulled it back. "Let me get this," he insisted.
"Don't be silly. You don't even have a job yet."
Nice of her to remind him. The hell of it was, even this five dollar tab
would hurt him. "Thanks."
She stopped foraging in her purse and looked up at him, giving him an
awkward little smile. As if she knew he hated being broke. "You can pay me back
later." Then she laid a few bills on the table and clutched her purse close to her
chest, holding it between them like a shield.
Damn. He'd scared her.
This wasn't over, not by a long shot. He'd see her again. But for now, he'd
let her go. Her eyes looked too frightened to give him any more tonight.
He slid back out of the booth and stood up. Kate slipped out behind
him. Without a word, she walked toward the door.
He had to hurry to keep up with her. She raced out the door without
holding it for him, like the hounds of hell were after her. When he caught up
with her in the parking lot, she was trying to get the door of her car unlocked.
Her hand was shaking so bad, she couldn't get the key in.
He laid a hand on her shoulder, and she jerked around to face him.
"Leave me alone."
She was breathing hard from rushing out of the restaurant. Her hot breath
hit his neck, and he shuddered from the contact. Reaching out, he took her
elbows in his hands. "Take it easy."
She stared up at him with those big green eyes, her lips moving a little
with each breath. What would she do if he kissed her? Slap him, probably. Or
knee him in the groin. His cock shriveled a little at the thought. "What are you
afraid of?"
"You."
At least she was honest. He stroked up and down her upper arms, trying
to reassure her. "I won't hurt you, Kate. I've never hurt a woman in my life."
She gave a half-choked laugh. "Oh, good. You have standards."
Damn her. Judging him after all he'd been through. "Yeah, I do."
He eased closer, just a fraction of an inch. She didn't flinch, didn't back up,
didn't reach out to touch him. God, she acted like she'd never been this close to
a man. Like she wanted him, but didn't know what to do about it.
He did. He slid his hands to her waist, testing. No resistance she didn't
move an inch. God, he shouldn't kiss her. He really shouldn't. But when he
moved closer, she didn't back away. Another inch. Another. She closed her eyes
in consent.
Unbelievable.
He kissed her gently, just barely stroking his lips over hers. He'd never
felt lips so soft. A groan came from his throat, rumbled against his lips. Her
hands went to his shoulders, just resting there, not pushing him away...but not
pulling him closer, either. Shy little Kate. He wouldn't grind his hard-on against
her, no matter how badly he wanted to.
She gasped against his mouth, and his tongue touched hers for a second.
Then again, and again, just light little touches...and then they were delving into
each other with raw hunger. He tried to stay gentle, not crowd her, not squeeze
her too hard. He didn't want to scare her away.
Breathe. Breathe. He dragged his lips from hers and buried them in her
hair, panting.
She nuzzled at the front of his neck. Enough. He'd fall over if she kept
this up. "Kate, stop." He took her shoulders and gently moved her away.
She looked up at him, her lips glistening wet in the dim streetlight. Her
eyes were cloudy with passion. Confused.
"Take me home with you." He almost winced. Not the most elegant
pickup line he'd ever come up with. "You won't be sorry." Christ, that wasn't
much better.
Her eyelids dropped closed. Then she nodded.
Yes. She'd said yes. He felt like shouting, but managed to keep himself to a
smile. Probably more of a leer.
A classy woman like her had no business with a man like him. And he'd
prove it to her. But first she'd give him every thing... every nasty fantasy
he'd ever had.
Chapter Two
They rode in silence. Just as well, because she didn't know what to say.
She'd never done anything this impulsive in her life. She'd always been a
planner, a worrier. That was the only way she'd escaped the old neighborhood.
If she'd been impulsive, she'd have ended up pregnant or worse.
And that tendency to worry had carried over into adulthood, made her
uptight and fretful. Tonight she wanted to let go. Just for one night.
Maybe that explained it. Or maybe she'd responded to his need, his
yearning. She'd been with other men, but she'd never felt needed before.
Jake made her feel like she was the only thing he needed in this world.
And she hadn't been with a man for a long time...probably longer than he'd
been without a woman. Maybe she needed this as much as he did. Whatever
the reason, she wasn't going to punish herself with second thoughts.
For once she wanted to live for the moment, to give in to her wildest
impulses. She was an adult now, not a teenager. She could handle it.
Sure she could.
She pulled into her parking space and turned off the car, then reached for
her purse.
"Don't worry, Kate."
She glanced over at him. "I'm not." Only half a lie. She was worried, but
she didn't want to be.
She turned away to get out of the car, then locked the doors behind her.
Jake followed her through the parking lot and into the lobby. She pressed the
elevator call button, then stood there waiting, too nervous to look at him. What
if he was gloating over her easy consent?
He slid an arm around her waist. "Let me hold you."
He didn't sound like he was gloating. She turned to face him and relaxed
against his chest. His arms came around her, gently holding. This was why
she'd said yes, this gentleness of his, when he had so much strength. He made
her feel safe, protected...
Oh, no. Protection. She pulled back and looked up at him. "We need to go
find a drug store."
"No, we don't. I have everything we need."
Why? In case he found an easy lay?
"Don't look at me like that," he said.
The elevator arrived, and she heard the doors open behind her. Jake
didn't take his gaze off of her face. "I've been carrying them since I got out last
week. I thought I'd be so desperate that I'd go to a hooker."
"Why didn't you?"
He shrugged. "A hooker would just want me to get my rocks off and get
out of there." His hand stroked her neck, cupped the side of her cheek. "That's
not what I want."
He was strong enough to bruise her, but he stroked her cheek as gently as
if she was a baby. She couldn't resist his tenderness. "What do you want, Jake?"
"I want a woman who gives herself to me. Completely. A woman who
doesn't hold back."
She always held back. That was the problem.
He moved his hands to her shoulders, then stroked down her arms and
squeezed her hands. "I just want you, Kate."
There didn't seem to be anything to say. "You might be disappointed. I'm
not very.. .adventurous."
He brushed his lips against hers in a soft, gentle kiss. When he pulled
back, he was grinning. "We can start with plain vanilla. Then we'll add a few
kinks."
"K-kinks?" God, she stuttered over the word.
"Just a few kinks." He took her hand and led her into the elevator.
"You'll like 'em. Trust me."
She'd be stupid to trust him. But for this one night, she would. For this
one night, she'd be reckless and impulsive.
Maybe even kinky.
***
He kept one beefy arm around her waist as they rode up to her floor and
walked down the hallway to her apartment. He held her close...so close that the
motion of his hips, of his longer stride, threw her off balance and forced her to
take quicker steps to keep up with him. His arm felt strong and heavy, like he'd
done nothing in prison but pump iron.
Was she crazy, taking a convicted felon home with her?
He'd done his time; he deserved a chance to go straight. Even so, that
didn't mean she should invite him into her life. But God, she wanted him. All
that sexy talk at the restaurant had worked on her like an aphrodisiac.
When they reached the door to her apartment, she stalled. Once she let
him in, she'd be completely at his mercy. She'd known him forever.. .but she
hadn't seen him in ten years. What if he
No, she wouldn't even think of the possibilities. She deserved one wild
night, and he was just the man to give it to her.
His arm tightened a warning? As tall as he was, she couldn't see
anything but a powerful jaw and the side of his face. From this angle, she
couldn't read anything.
He turned toward her slightly, lowering his mouth to her ear. "Are you
trying to back out, Kate?"
His hot breath teased her skin, and the menacing note in his voice made
her shiver. That little hint of danger set her heart pumping. What would he do if
she tested his limits?
"What if I am?"
He spun her around to face him. His hands gripped her waist, pulled
her tight.. .her stomach rubbed against the hard bulge of his cock. All that hard
masculine heat, all that desire.. .all for her.
She almost moaned.
"If you back out..." His voice sounded rough, urgent. She could feel his
chest moving with each harsh breath. "If you back out, you'll be sorry."
Was that another threat? If she said no, would he force his way into
her apartment?
God, she almost wanted him to. If he forced her, she wouldn't be
responsible for anything they did.
But that wasn't fair to him. She wanted him; the least she could do was
admit it. "I'm not backing out."
His breath shuddered against her neck. "Then open the damned door."
She had to pull away a little to fumble in her purse for the keys. Her hand
shook as she unlocked the deadbolt.
When she reached for the doorknob, he touched her elbow. "Don't be
scared."
He sounded a little nervous himself. Three years without sex? She knew
exactly how he felt. Nervous, excited...aroused. She turned her face so he
wouldn't see her smile. "I'm not."
With a quick twist of the doorknob, she opened the door and led him
inside. The slam of the door behind her made her jump. Before she could move,
his hands were on her shoulders, turning her toward him. He grabbed her ass in
his huge hands, pulling her up against him. The sudden movement, being lifted
off balance, made her gasp. When he canted his hips, rubbing his erection
against her belly, she clutched his denim jacket to steady herself.
His teeth gleamed in the dim streetlight shining in a nearby window.
"Are you scared now?"
So he wanted her to be frightened. "Maybe just a little." She let go of his
jacket and slid her hands underneath it, stroking his chest. Solid muscle. "You're
a lot bigger than I remember."
He squeezed her ass for a second, then moved his hands around to cup
her breasts. "So are you."
She gave a breathless laugh. Humor wasn't the kind of thing she
expected from him.
His teeth gently nipped her earlobe. "I've missed hearing a woman
laugh."
And probably any woman would do. Hard to care about that now, with
his hands stroking her breasts, his body so hot and hard against hers. He found
her lips with his, kissing her, tasting her, devouring her. His tongue made
heated, rhythmic thrusts into her mouth. She leaned against the solid heat of his
And he took her into his arms the same way, kissing her with just the
right amount of pressure, teasing her lips apart. His tongue filled her mouth
with a vibrant thrust, finding hers and drawing it to his own mouth.
His hands wandered over her back, over her ass, around to cup her
breasts through her shirt. He broke the kiss and looked down at his stroking
hands through fiery, heavy-lidded eyes. "I want to kiss you here, too," he
murmured, strumming her nipples with avid fingers.
One hand trailed down her side, over her hip, and cupped her sex. His
fingers pressed against her. "And I want to kiss you here."
He lowered his lips to her ear, took her lobe between his teeth in a soft
bite. "Do you want those things, Kate?" His hand plucked at her breast, making
her nipple even harder. "Do you want me to lick these big hard nipples?"
Licking was the least of what she wanted. She nodded.
His fingers moved between her legs, scratching lightly against her
clit, generating heat and friction. "Do you want me to kiss you here?"
She clutched his shoulders and tilted her hips in rhythm with his fingers.
God, she was wet. "Oh, yes."
"I'll suck you until you're screaming. I'll..." His teeth stung her neck,
hard enough to bruise her. "I'll fuck you with my tongue."
She pushed harder against his hand. No man had ever talked to her like
this. Like she was a tramp.
She loved it. He made her feel so.. .desirable.
Suddenly his hand was gone, and he stripped off his T-shirt with fluid
grace. Oh, his chest was absolutely perfect. Broad and solid, with a thoroughly
masculine swathe of curly black hair whirling around his nipples and arrowing
down his stomach to disappear into his jeans.
She couldn't stop herself from touching that amazing chest. The hair
tickled her palms as she swept her hands over him.
He groaned. "You'll never know how good that feels." His voice sounded
sensations that rushed straight to her sex. She cried out, grabbing his shoulders
to keep herself upright.
"That's it," he rasped against her neck. "Tell me how good this feels."
He pulled her bra straps down, tugged the cups lower, and lifted her
breasts until they spilled out above her bra. His head bent, and he suckled on
one nipple, his hair brushing against her collarbone. She felt the rough stubble
on his cheek abrading her tender skin another taste of pain and pleasure.
She held his head against her as he licked one breast, then the other. His
teeth rubbed across her nipple, but he didn't bite.
Words she'd never thought she'd voice left her mouth. "Bite me."
She felt him smile against her breast. "I promised you vanilla first."
He nipped anyway, just a gentle bite but enough to make her gasp.
Clever fingers played with her nipples, tugging and twisting, stroking and
soothing. His panting breaths rushed over her skin.
When his hands left her breasts, she shivered from the loss of his heat. But
those eager hands went to the waistband of her skirt, pulling, fumbling, until
she heard the button skitter across the hardwood floor. Then he had the
zipper open, his hands sliding under her skirt, under her hose and underpants,
pulling everything down with a harsh groan.
He knelt in front of her and grabbed one ankle, impatiently trying to lift it.
She had to lean against his shoulders to step out of her shoes. He pulled
off her tangled clothes at the same time. The accidental brush of his hair against
her thighs felt wickedly erotic. She'd love to have him bury his face between her
legs.
He swept his head back and forth, as if he'd read her mind. Her fingers
slipped through his short, clipped hair. He'd worn it long and shaggy as an
adolescent a badge of rebellion. Even cropped close, the natural curls wound
around her fingers. Her hand looked startlingly pale against his black hair.
His nose pressed against her pubic hair, his mouth between her legs,
hot and wet, breathing moist heat against her clit. She whimpered and her knees
gave out.
Big hands caught her ass, holding her upright, and his tongue...oh, his
tongue burrowed between her thighs, finding her clit and relentlessly thrusting,
over and over, until her knees trembled.
She tried to spread her legs further apart, to give him more access, but
they were too weak to move. And if she stepped away to get on the bed, his
mouth would leave her.
She couldn't bear it. She could only stand and shudder, her bare ass
trembling in his hands, her body pushing forward to meet each heated stab of his
tongue.
When he pulled away, she clutched his head closer. But he resisted,
damn him, leaving her aching for more. He rose to his feet and his lips met hers
in a hot, wet kiss.
God, his mouth smelled like her sex...tasted like her sex. She squirmed
against him, rubbing her bare legs against his jeans, her breasts against his chest.
While he kissed her deep and hard, his hands tugged her bra off.
She twisted away and gasped against his neck. "Please, Jake. I can't
stand anymore."
He bent and wrapped one arm behind her knees, then lifted her off her
feet. She wasn't a tiny woman, but he carried her as easily as if she were a child.
Her hand rested against his chest; his heart beat fast and hard under her palm.
He laid her carefully on the bed. Before he straightened, he fanned her
hair out with one hand. His steady, unnerving stare made her blush.
One big, rough hand cupped her neck, his thumb pressing lightly against
her throat. How easily he could hurt her. Just the thought made her heart
hammer. But he
skimmed over her throat, traced along her collarbone, and stroked down to her
breast in a long caress. "You're stunning."
He sounded amazed, like he couldn't believe she was here with him. How
could she have thought that he'd hurt her? He might be big, bad, and rough
around the edges, but he wouldn't hurt her.
Not much.
Not more than she wanted him to.
"Thank you." Her voice came out a whisper.
He took his hand away and stood, curving his fingers around one of the
posts of the wrought-iron headboard. "Nice headboard. Very sturdy."
What a thing to comment on, with her lying naked in front of him. "I
guess."
He grinned down at her and winked. "I'll put these posts to good use in
a little while."
Did he mean... God, she didn't know what he meant. And she couldn't
ask. He'd make fun of her, no doubt.
The grin faded, and he looked down at her hungrily. "Touch yourself."
Her breath caught. "What?"
"Touch yourself. Like you can't wait for me to touch you."
No man had ever seen her pleasure herself. No man had ever dared to
ask.
Jake was the kind of man who'd dare anything. The kind of man she'd
always fantasized about. And she'd give him anything he wanted.
Anything.
She slid one shaking hand to her breast and stroked over the nipple. His
tongue had left wetness on her skin, and her fingers slipped easily over her
breast, toying with her nipple.
His eyes were heated, following every motion of her hand. She couldn't
look away from his face. She pinched her nipple gently, like he'd done and
saw his mouth open, as if he was breathing faster.
"Spread your legs."
Her hand froze. She couldn't do it. Not with the light on, not with him
looking at her so directly.
"Spread your legs," he said again, his voice harsh. A command.
If she resisted, what would he do? She wanted to find out. Wanted it
desperately.
She shook her head.
His eyes narrowed. In anger? "Show me how much you want me." No,
not anger. His voice was as soft as a lover's. "Show me how wet and swollen you
are."
She wanted to. But more than that, she wanted him to force her to do it.
She shook her head again. "Make me."
One corner of his mouth tilted up. He dropped a hand to his jeans and
rubbed the thick bulge of his cock. "If you show me yours, I'll show you mine."
His joke startled a laugh from her. He'd used that line when he'd been
seven years old, wanting a look up her skirt, and it had worked like a charm.
"That sounds fair."
She lifted her knees and spread them, just a few inches.
"Wider." He sounded threatening again. That dangerous tone caused a
little shiver.
She moved her thighs a little, then let them settle back where they'd been.
He stepped to the edge of the bed, reached down, and grasped her
knees. His hands were so big, he nearly circled her legs with each hand. He
pulled her knees apart while she lay there, gasping in surprise.
Those rough hands skimmed up her inner thighs, then stopped. What a
tease. She opened her mouth to beg, but the look on his face stopped the words.
His eyes were fixed to her sex, and he looked so.. .hungry.
"Very..." He cleared his throat. "Very nice, Kate. All wet and red. Such
pouty lips..."
One hand edged closer, closer...she felt the brush of a blunt thumb on her
clit.
She moaned and clutched at his head; he grabbed her hands and held
them down beside her. Then he licked, teased, and flicked his tongue against her.
Tormenting
her deliberately. She moaned and tried to move, but his chest was holding
down her legs, his strong hands wrapped around her wrists.
She could only lay there, moaning, pleading without words, while his
tongue and mouth drove her higher then moved away and left her on the
brink.
He stood, and his hands went to his waistband. "I can't wait another
minute, baby."
Baby. A casual endearment, one he'd probably use with any woman. But
she was the woman he wanted now. And hearing the word made her heart beat
faster in a way she knew was dangerous.
She couldn't bring herself to care. All she wanted was that hard, strong
body on top of her. Between her legs. "Don't wait. Please don't wait."
His gaze never left her as he kicked off his shoes, bent to yank off his
socks. And she simply lay there, watching the light play over his muscled body
as he pulled down his jeans and briefs.
What a gorgeous man. Her gaze wandered from his spectacular chest
down to his thick, long cock. Longer than she'd imagined, standing red and
hard against his belly.
And for tonight, all hers.
Chapter Three
He couldn't believe he'd managed to wait this long to fuck her. She
was incredibly sexy, hot and soft under his hands. In his wildest fantasies,
he'd never imagined a woman as beautiful as Kate would let him touch her.
Would lie naked in front of him and touch herself, just to please him.
Would look at him like she wanted him with the same desperation he felt
for her.
Her hand, the hand he'd licked her juice from, stroked over one full
breast, then reached out to him. "I want to touch you."
"Later."
She looked hurt, frowning, a crease between her brows.
"If you touch me now, Kate..." I'll come the instant you touch me. Christ, that
made him sound like a teenager. What the hell could he say? "I'm about to go
off like a rocket."
She smiled at that. A slow, inviting, sexy smile. "You'd better take me with
you."
Hell, yes.
Staring at her, he almost lost his balance when he kicked off his pants. His
jacket, condoms in the pocket, seemed a mile away clear across the bed. He
didn't trust himself to go over the bed, not with Kate lying there waiting for him.
If he got too close, he'd fuck her bare. To feel her wet heat around his bare cock...
Shit.
He looked away from her and circled the bed instead. His jacket was half
off the chair, and he groped in the pockets until he found the cardboard box.
"Hurry, Jake."
God, she was begging. Begging for him. Her pleading made him wild.
Made him want to tie her up and make her plead some more. The iron posts of
that headboard were just asking to have her wrists tied to them.
Next time. Vanilla first. "I'm hurrying, baby." He fumbled with the box,
tore it open, and the condoms slipped through his trembling fingers. He caught
one and let the others hit the floor. He only needed one right now.
He ripped the foil packet open with his teeth. His hands shook so
badly, it seemed like an age before he got the rubber rolled down over his cock.
When he turned back toward the bed, she was stroking her breast again.
As if she couldn't wait for him. God knew he couldn't wait another minute to get
inside her.
Her legs were still spread, wide and inviting. With one trembling hand,
he stroked from her knee up the soft skin of her inner thigh. When he reached
her pussy, he teased her clit with his thumb.
Soon.
In just a second, he'd be inside all this luscious wet heat, inside this
beautiful pussy. The most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
Fuck. He'd be spouting poetry in a minute.
Kate squirmed a little, her hips pulling away, then rising to meet his hand.
Enough.
After a few moments of panting against each other, struggling for breath,
his heartbeat slowed to something close to normal. Kate's fingers were
weaving through his hair, gently caressing. Another thing he'd never imagined
a woman stroking him in the aftermath of passion. He'd never thought much
beyond the point of release.
He propped his head up on one hand and looked down at her face. She
was a stunner, even with her lipstick kissed off. Especially with her lipstick kissed
off. And the expression on her face.. .smiling and satisfied, kind of.. .tender. As if
Damn.
She looked at him like he was some kind of prince. As if she'd forgotten
that he was nothing but a thug. An ex-con.
But someday she'd remember. She'd figure out just how fucked up he
was, and she'd go looking for a better man. But when she finished slumming
with him...he wouldn't want to let her go.
Shit
Best to get it over with now. To show her just how nasty he could be.
Then she'd give him the boot.
And she'd never look at him like this again.
***
She'd never been a particularly sentimental woman. But lying under the
warm, sprawling, masculine weight of Jake's body, feeling his cropped hair slip
through her fingers, relishing the afterglow of that explosive orgasm...suddenly,
inexplicably, she felt close to him.
Probably just an illusion. She knew, intellectually, that physical intimacy
and emotional intimacy were two completely different things. But looking up
into those
thoughtful brown eyes, she felt a rush of tenderness. He seemed just a little less
bitter. Maybe sex had taken the edge off of his anger.
She smiled and stroked his hair some more. "You should let it grow."
"I probably will. A little."
"You wore it long in high school."
"I need to look more clean cut now. I have to find a job."
At least he wanted to get a job. Too many ex-cons ended up back in prison.
She'd help him find something, if he wanted her to.
His brow furrowed. "I'm surprised you remember what my hair was like
in high school."
"I remember a lot. You were very memorable."
He frowned. "I was a thug, Kate."
"Well, yes. That's what made you memorable."
He gave a brief, hard laugh, quickly stifled. As if he didn't want to think
about those days.
Before she could stop him, he pushed off of her. He grabbed a tissue
from the box on her nightstand and trashed the condom, then settled beside her
with a long sigh, not touching but close. She rolled to face him, snuggling closer.
Just pressing up against a warm man felt wonderful. A pleasure she'd been
denied for too long.
His huge hand settled on her hip. "Insatiable wench."
The smug satisfaction in his voice made her smile. She stroked across
his hard jaw, feeling the faint scratchiness of evening whiskers. "I'm making up
for lost time."
He turned his lips into her hand and dabbed her palm with his tongue.
Her fingers twitched at the erotic caress. "Give me a couple of minutes, Kate.
Then I'll get back to work."
She wrapped her arm around him and nuzzled her face against his chest,
letting all that silky hair tickle her nose. "Two minutes?"
Fingers wound in her hair until it pulled tight. He pulled her by her
hair.. .pulled her face to his. She moved with him, but the sharp tug on her hair
hurt. She frowned.
His lips were fierce and rough, kissing her deeply. When he bit her lower
lip, she cried out in surprise more than pain.
"No more vanilla." He sounded more harsh than he ever had before.
"What.. .what do you have in mind?"
"If I told you, it wouldn't be as much fun."
His expression seemed to challenge her. Challenge her to what? To be
kinky? To be wild? She'd wanted a dangerous man in her bed. She wasn't about
to back off now. "All right. Just promise not to "
When his eyes narrowed, she broke off. His anger made him more
intimidating than ever. And an angry ex-convict wasn't the kind of man she
should have in her bed. Fantasy was one thing, but in reality she'd be stupid to
put herself at his mercy.
"I don't like conditions." His words were clipped, terse.
She swallowed and forced herself to speak. "Just promise you won't hurt
me."
He moved like lightning, grasping her wrists in his hands and lifting
them over her head. Before she knew what happened she was on her back,
gasping under the heavy weight of his torso.
His eyes seemed cold, his face as bitter as ever. "No deal."
Suddenly he dropped his head and kissed her. She braced herself, but
oh, he surprised her with a gentle, coaxing kiss, a soft brush of his lips, a light
teasing lick on her upper lip. Then he caught her lip between his teeth, just hard
enough to make her whimper. She trembled. Pulling away, moving in any
direction, would make the pain worse. She stayed as still as she could, taking
shallow breaths, waiting for him to let go.
When his teeth finally released her lip, he pressed down hard on her
hands, lifting himself just enough to see into her face. "You might like a little
pain."
She might. Her heart hammered with fear, but the rest of her body
hummed with arousal. He'd take her and do whatever he wanted to her...and
she wouldn't be responsible for any of it. He'd force pleasure on her.
Pleasure.. .and a little pain.
"All right."
His eyebrows lifted. "I'm not asking for your permission."
Her breath caught. Before she could think of a single word to say, he lifted
off of her and sat on the edge of the bed. She heard the drawer of her nightstand
open. What was he doing?
She rolled toward him to see, but his broad back blocked her view. All she
could see was his arm reaching into the drawer.
He came out with matches, struck one, and lit the votive candle on
the nightstand.
With one hand, he brought the lit match to her face. "Blow it out."
Would have been easier for him to do it. But she obediently took a breath
and blew out the match. He paused for a second...then he dropped the match
onto her chest, right between her breasts.
She jumped up, more from surprise than pain. "Why did you do that?"
He didn't look sorry at all. "Did it hurt?"
She rubbed at the spot on her chest. No soreness at all. "Not really. But you
could have burned me."
"But I didn't."
Did he hate her so much that he wanted to burn her? She felt ridiculously
close to tears. "But you could have."
He gathered her close, pulling her into his lap. "Hush, baby. I knew it
wasn't hot enough to burn you."
She let him rock her, feeling his heart beat under her cheek.
"Wasn't it just a little..." He stopped.
few inches. Just enough for her to be able to tangle her fingers in it when he
went down on her.
Ah, that sounded like heaven.
But he lifted his head and pulled the scarf back up, over her belly, over
her breasts, along one arm. The tickling material went over one wrist. He
smiled down at her and gently lifted her hand over her head, as if she was a doll
he posed for his amusement. Then he lifted the other.
The scarf slid along her arms, tickling her. She tried to pull away from
the tormenting fabric, but her hands were stuck overhead. She frowned. Her
wrists...he'd tied her wrists! Tied them to the headboard.
"Jake..."
His hands stroked down her arms to cup her breasts. "Hmm?"
That handsome face looked teasing, with a little smile on his lips and a
glitter in his eyes.
"I've never..." She couldn't say it. He'd just make fun of her.
His fingers pinched her nipples, just a little. Just enough to make her
gasp. He bent to her breast and took one nipple deep into his mouth, sucking
hard. When he released her he brushed his cheek over her breast, gently
abrading her with his faint trace of whiskers.
"But you'll do it for me." He said it like a command.
Yes! her body screamed. Her mind wasn't so sure. "I suppose so."
He lifted his head and brought his face close to hers, pressing his forehead
to her forehead in a tender, lover-like gesture. "If you want me to untie
you, just say...Alcatraz."
She laughed. "Alcatraz?"
Jake pulled back and smiled down at her. "The more outrageous the
word, the more likely you are to remember it."
"Alcatraz," she repeated.
He froze. "Was that a trial run?"
Chapter Four
"I want to make you scream," Jake whispered.
She was close to screaming already. His hands tormented her. He kept
running them over her body, slow and soft, his gaze following. Over her
collarbones, down her arms, then back again, over her tingling breasts not
lingering enough to satisfy. As if he wanted to stroke her all night. As if he
couldn't decide what to do with her next.
She couldn't enjoy his teasing. Enjoy? He was driving her crazy. She'd
expected something kinky, not this gentle touching. Was he afraid to get kinky
with her? Maybe he didn't think she could take it.
His movements were too light, too soft. She lifted herself up against his
hands, but the scarf held her down. She couldn't get any leverage. "Jake..."
His gaze met hers then wicked and teasing. "Hmm?"
How could she tell him she wanted him to do more to her? He might
think she was criticizing him. She knew how defensive he could get. "You
said...no more vanilla."
One of those big, strong hands wrapped around the front of her neck. She
felt a beat of pressure against her throat his thumb.
"If you knew what I want to do to you, Kate..."
She twisted a little, rubbing her leg against his. "Do it. Do everything you
want." I won't say no.
Teasing hot breath filled her ear. Then a wet lick on the edge, a gentle bite
What a ridiculous thought. She was lying here naked, her wrists tied, and
talking about masturbation was too personal? "I don't know. It varies."
He bent low, his head against her chest. She felt his arm moving.. .heard
him rummaging around in her nightstand. When he raised his head and shifted
to lie beside her, she saw a long, pink object in his hand.
Her vibrator.
She felt her face heat, for some stupid reason.
"Do you always use this?" He sounded curious, nothing more.
"Yes." Her voice came out a whisper.
The vibrator hummed to life. He stroked it across her breast, over her
nipple. After the way he'd sucked and bitten her, the faint vibrations felt like a
mere tickling.
He moved it lower, down her stomach, a smooth, tingling vibration. She lifted
her hips a little, and he pressed it lengthwise between her legs.
She closed her eyes as he moved the vibrator up and down, sending
glorious sensation through her clit. So good. She'd come any second.
He pulled it away. She cried out at the loss. Her arms strained against the
ties, her hips turning toward him.
With one strong push on her hips, he turned her onto her side. She felt
his body curl around her back, felt one hand grab her breast and lightly pinch
the nipple. She pressed forward into his hand.. .then back against his chest.
And the vibrator slid down her ass...between her legs again. Oh, yes. She
lifted her knee, giving him more room. The vibrator slid along her pussy, back
and forth, moving easily through all that wetness. She was dripping. His hand
left her breast and grabbed her hip, moving her in rhythm with the sliding
motion of the vibrator.
"Is this how you use it?" His breath was hot on her neck, as hot as his
chest felt pressing against her back.
She could barely catch her breath to answer him. "No."
"No?"
"No, I..."
He stopped moving the vibrator, and she shifted her hips, to keep the
rhythm going. He held her hip tight, stopping her. With that restraining hand
on her hip and his body hard against her back, she couldn't move.
Jake?"
"Yes." Teeth nipped the back of her neck. "I want to make you scream.
Remember?"
He pulled out the vibrator, leaving her sore and tingling...and feeling
strangely empty. She heard the vibrator drop onto the hardwood floor, hitting
so hard that it turned off.
Jake pressed his cock along the crease of her ass, rubbing his full length
against her. "I want you to know how it feels to want something so bad, it hurts."
God, she wanted him inside. "I know how it feels," she gasped. "I want
you so bad..."
His hand found her hip again, pulled her tight against his hot cock. "How
bad? Bad enough to beg?"
Definitely. "Make me come, Jake. Please."
"Do you want me bad enough to give me anything I want?"
"Yes, yes."
He bit the slope of her shoulder. "Bad enough to take me in the ass?"
What? She shook her head. His cock was huge. She'd never be able to
"I knew you wouldn't." He sounded disappointed...and oddly satisfied
at the same time. "I knew you could never want me."
Then he gasped, as if he couldn't believe what he'd said. "I mean I
knew you could never want what I want."
She barely heard anything after his slip. She should have known she'd
worked with enough ex-cons. The anger, the self-loathing... it was all so
familiar. Jake wanted her, but he didn't believe that she could truly want him.
Could she ever convince him? Maybe if she could touch him...stroke
him...pull him tightly against her. If she could take his cock into her mouth and
give him selfless pleasure.
With her hands tied, she couldn't even hold him. Words would have to do.
"I want whatever you want, Jake." She took a deep breath. "Take
"Too much?" His breath whispered across the side of her breast.
Nothing was too much. Nothing he wanted. She shook her head fiercely.
His gaze caught hers for an instant before he looked away. Lifting to his
knees, his powerful legs spread her thighs wide. "I can do anything I want to
you, baby. I could fuck you without a condom."
Oh, no. Her eyes went wide; she shook her head again.
His hand moved over his cock, stroking. "That's right. Beg me. Beg me
with those big green eyes."
He stroked her cheek above the gag with the backs of his fingers, his touch
oddly gentle. Then he ran his hand down her chest, following the wax trail.
"I've given you hickeys. I've left a little path of red down your belly. And it's still
not enough."
What more could he possibly do to her?
With his free hand, he gripped her thigh, the thumb stroking tiny circles
on the inside of her leg. "If I could, I'd tattoo my name right here. So that every
man who took you would see it and know that I was here before him."
She couldn't talk, couldn't tell him that he'd already left his mark on her
that she'd never forget him, whether he tattooed her or not.
His fingers played with her sex again, so gently. Closing her eyes felt
scary. Already mute, she couldn't bear to be sightless as well. She stared up at
his hard, handsome face and tried to tell him, without words, that she still
wanted him. That she still trusted him.
All she could do was nod. His gaze wandered down her chest, along the
path of wax that he'd poured.
His face changed, his eyes turning soft while his hand stroked her
intimately. "Kate.. .you're so beautiful."
Then suddenly his hand was gone. Fingers plucked at her belly, her chest
peeling the cool wax off her skin. His hand skimmed down her flesh,
probably tracing the marks left by the wax.
Jake left her completely, left the bed. Even turning her head, she
couldn't see him. She heard a tearing noise ah, a condom. At last.
He joined her again, his body coming down on hers, his breath whispering
in her ear. "I want you so damned much."
And she wanted him. She couldn't speak, couldn't hold him, couldn't tell
him. She nodded instead.
He thrust into her then, groaning. His body didn't pause, didn't miss a
beat, setting a strong, steady rhythm, driving into her deep and hard. She
couldn't move,
couldn't even lift her hips, not with the heavy weight of his body pinning her
to the bed.
But she didn't need to move. Jake moved perfectly, as if he knew exactly
what she needed. Every thrust, every brush of his chest on hers, every groan in
her ear took her higher. After all his teasing, she was ready to explode. She bit
down on the scarf and moaned, straining toward release. She let him take her
there, let the frustration and fear burst into a heady orgasm.
Jake!
The gag muffled her scream, but he threw his head back as if he heard
it, shouting out her own name as he gave a deep thrust that pushed her hands
against the posts of the headboard. He dropped his lips to her neck, his
forearms trembling with the force of his release. He nuzzled against her skin as
he moaned and shook, pumping with the last throes of his climax.
So much passion in him...so much anger. Tears came to her eyes. She'd
never
wanted to hold a man more in her life.
***
He couldn't quite face her yet. So he lay on top of her for long,
breathless moments, panting for air, trying to wrap his mind around that volatile
experience.
She launched herself at him and threw her arms around his chest,
burying her face against his neck.
He held her close, baffled. "Kate? You're not mad?"
She shook her head. "That was wonderful."
What the hell? He tilted her back against his arm so he could see her face.
"You liked it?"
A delicate blush covered her cheeks. "The only thing I didn't like was not
being able to tell you how much I liked it."
Would he ever understand this woman? Maybe he'd at least have some
time to try. "I thought I was forcing you, Kate."
She smiled at him and cupped his cheek with one hand, as if he was the
best lover in the world. "I know. I've never had so much fun."
Fun? Where had this kinky woman come from?
From his dreams.
No. Dreams didn't come true. Not for him. "Why are you slumming with
me?"
"Slumming?" Her voice lilted with amusement. "We're both from the
projects, Jake."
But she'd spent the last ten years making a decent life for herself, not
scamming, getting arrested, and doing time. "You're not from there anymore.
Kate..."
She smiled at him, so sweetly, and he completely lost his train of thought.
"Kate, I'm living in a twenty-dollar-a-night hotel. We don't have
anything in
common."
She shrugged. "Well, we both like kinky sex." Then she grinned. "And
thanks to you, now I know it."
He couldn't think of a single thing to say. She was kinky, beautiful and
far, far too good for a man like him.
She stroked his hair with one hand. "You know me as well as anyone,
Jake. I won't have to pretend with you, because you know exactly where I
came from. You know what I used to be."
"You used to be one of the sexiest girls I'd ever seen." And now you're one of
the sexiest women.
She pushed against his shoulder in a playful gesture. "You didn't even
know I was alive back then."
"The hell I didn't. On prom night..."
Did he really want to share this with her? Expose himself? Her face was all
green eyes, all curiosity and trust. She trusted him. May be... may be he could
learn to trust her, too.
Had he ever trusted a woman? Hell, he could barely remember any
other women. Only Kate seemed real.
He took a deep breath. "I saw you on prom night. Senior year. You were
out with Tom Nicholson. And the dress you had on.. .just a simple pink thing,
but it made you look-"
"It was all I could afford. I got it at a thrift store, and it showed." She
sounded embarrassed about it, even after all these years.
He brushed her hair back, remembering exactly how she'd looked.
Proud, innocent and untouchable, all at once...with just a hint of the confident,
full-breasted woman she'd become. He'd wanted to take her and violate her in
every way his adolescent mind could imagine. "You looked totally hot, Kate. I
wanted to beat the shit out of that asshole Nicholson and fuck you in the backseat
of his Chevy."
She smiled up at him, her eyes luminous as if he'd just paid her a
great compliment. "You did?"
"Hell, yes."
"I wanted you back then, too."
She didn't have to lie to him. "Bullshit."
They sealed that agreement with a light kiss. Had he really bitten these
soft lips? Had she really liked it? He kissed her again, just because he could.
Then he leaned against the headboard, holding her on his lap, her head resting
on his shoulder.
He felt a sharp nip on his earlobe. "Hey! I do the biting around here,
woman."
She laughed softly. "Is that so?" Then a little bite on his neck. "Maybe
you should punish me. I'm such a bad girl, you know."
He gave her ribcage a gentle squeeze, made her yelp in surprise. "You're
a very bad girl. And I'm an even worse man."
A thief.
No, not anymore. He'd only take what Kate was willing to give him.
What he could persuade her to give him. And he'd be very, very persuasive.
"You're not as bad as you think you are, Jake."
That sounded like a dare. He slipped a hand over the round curve of her
luscious ass. "Are you begging for some proof?"
He felt her smile against his shoulder, felt her fingers curl in his chest hair.
"Sure. First you prove that you're a big, bad, nasty man. The worst man I've ever
met."
Little teeth scored his nipple, and his cock twitched against her hip.
She chuckled. "Then I'll prove that I wouldn't want you any other way."
Doreen DeSalvo