Tap'd Out

by Harley Stone

  “I’m sorry. She’s never acted like this before.” Of course, we’d never had company before, but I was usually Hailey’s favorite person on the planet. She’d never refused to let me hold her, not even when she was mad at me for making her put away her toys and go to bed.

  “Kids love me,” Sasha said, patting Hailey’s back. “I don’t mean to brag, but I was probably the coolest babysitter in all of Vegas. Literally all my high school weekends were booked.”

  “You lived in Vegas?” I asked, intrigued to find out more about her.

  “I grew up there. Got my bachelor’s in criminal justice at UNLV.”

  “And you spent your weekends watching kids?” Mama asked, bringing the food to the table. I stood to help her.

  “Yep. I was a real party animal. I like kids. They’re a lot more honest than adults.”

  Mama smiled. “They sure are. How long have you been in Seattle?”

  “Four years. I was accepted into the police academy and landed a job on the Seattle PD. I’ve been here ever since.”

  “You’re a cop?” Mama asked.

  Sasha looked to me like she was requesting permission to answer. I nodded. “Yes ma’am. What about you, Ms…” She looked to me for an answer.

  “Watson,” I said at the same time Mama said, “Doris is fine.”

  Mama eyed me, surprise written all over her face. I couldn’t blame her. Watson wasn’t our real last name, but it was Alex’s, and I didn’t share those kinds of details with people. But Sasha was different.

  “Ms. Watson,” Sasha finished. “I still can’t get over how different Tap looked last night. I used to think I was decent at makeup, but your artistry is at the drag queen level of impressiveness. How long have you been doing it?”

  The two of them launched into a conversation about contouring and highlighting while I sat back and watched them interact. Hailey was perfectly content on Sasha’s lap, and although Sasha had to move Hailey away from her ribs a couple of times, she didn’t mutter one word of complaint. Hailey took a couple bites of her soup before asking Sasha to feed her. I wanted to object since my daughter had been feeding herself for a year, but Hailey’s eyes were glassy, and she was moving like a limp noodle. Besides, Sasha didn’t seem to mind one bit. She fed Hailey while talking to Mama, occasionally pausing to take a bite of her own.

  After lunch, Sasha and Hailey stretched out on the sofa while I put The Incredibles back on. I left the two of them to watch the movie and went to help Mama in the kitchen.

  “I like her,” Mama said, starting in on me with a meaningful look.

  I chuckled. “You just met her.”

  Mama’s eyes softened. “She makes you smile, Alex. I haven’t seen you smile like that in a long time.”

  “Hailey makes me smile all the time.”

  “That’s a different kind of smile.”

  I thought about that as I retrieved the rest of the dishes from the table. Setting them down in the sink, I said, “I like her too.”

  Mama looked awfully smug. “I know.”

  “And Sasha thinks I’m cocky? Wait until she gets a load of you.”

  “How long will she be here?”

  “I don’t know. She’s a good cop, trying to do what’s right, and that’s earned her some dangerous enemies. The club is working on a plan to help her out, but time is against us. There’s these missing girls, and Sasha’s afraid if she waits too long, something bad’s gonna happen to them. But she can’t rescue them by herself. I’m afraid she’s gonna get impatient and bounce. The first fight did a number on her. I don’t know that she’ll survive round two.” I didn’t usually talk shop with my mother, but the thought of Sasha leaving was twisting me up inside. I needed her here, safe, and I needed advice on how to make that happen.

  Mama opened the dishwasher and started loading it. “If you don’t want her to leave, give her a reason to stay.”

  I didn’t know how to do that. Hell, I didn’t even know where to start. “You make it sound so damn simple.”

  She gave me a sad smile. “Nothing in life is simple, my boy. There’s a lot of pain and hurt in this world, so when you find something that makes you happy, you gotta hold onto it with both hands. Don’t let it go.”

  “I met her less than forty-eight hours ago.”

  “So? You let her in, Alex. You’ve never done that before. If you’re interested, make a move. You’re not getting any younger, you know, and I wouldn’t mind having another grandbaby or two. Or three.”

  Mama was telling me to go for it. Sure, her reasons were selfish, but at least I had her support. “Sasha’s injured. She’s been through a lot. I don’t even know all the details. I’m not even sure how she’d feel about me touching her right now.”

  She leveled a stare at me. “Boy, please. You two can’t even keep your hands off each other. If you’re worried about it, make your interest known and let her take the lead.”

  Mama and I had always been close enough to speak bluntly, but I wasn’t entirely comfortable with this conversation. “I’ll think about it,” I said as I got to work helping her clean up the kitchen.

  When we finished, Mama went up to her room to take a nap while I joined Sasha and Hailey in the living room. Sasha was lying on her side on the sofa, with Hailey out cold and tucked against her. Sasha watched the movie as her fingers absently stroked Hailey’s hair away from her face. They looked peaceful and comfortable together, and I didn’t want to intrude. I leaned against the wall and watched them, marveling at how quickly they’d bonded.

  Sasha just seemed to fit in my world. She was like a puzzle piece I hadn’t even known was missing until it changed everything by completing the picture.

  “Give her a reason to stay.”

  Oh, I intended to.

  I just needed a game plan. Trying to come up with one, I pushed off the wall and approached the ladies. Sasha’s gaze lifted and she beamed a smile at me that was so pure and beautiful it made me want to join the two of them on the couch.

  “I think she likes me,” Sasha whispered.

  I returned her smile. “How could she not? You’re a likable person. Hell, I like you, and I don’t even like people.”

  Sasha’s smile was shy. “Thank you.”

  “I’m gonna put her to bed, so she’ll stay asleep for a while. She needs her rest.”

  I could tell Sasha wanted to object, but she stayed silent as I picked Hailey up and carried her up to her room. When I returned to the living room, Sasha was gone. I looked in the kitchen and bathroom before finally finding her back in the basement. The blanket I’d brought her last night was folded on the edge of the sofa, and her purse was slung over her shoulder as she paced in front of the sofa.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, fearing I already knew the answer.

  She glanced up at me. “Thinking.”

  “About what?”

  She stopped moving and finally met my gaze. “Are you sure my presence isn’t putting you guys in danger?”

  It wasn’t what I expected her to say, but her concern made sense. “Yes.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because I’m very good at what I do. That’s not me being cocky, it’s me being honest. I know what I’m doing. When I ran into you, I was planting bugs in Buzz’s office. We’re monitoring his conversations.”

  “Who?”

  “Morse. Buddha’s helping him, along with Bull and Specks. I hop on sometimes and listen to the feeds. Mostly when you’re asleep.”

  “And you trust these guys?”

  That was a complicated question. Deciding to answer it as honestly as possible, I replied, “They’re good, solid guys. I trust them to do what’s right and to protect the club. I’m part of the club. Besides, if anything got through, Morse would consider it a personal failure, and that motherfucker’s too damn proud to ever let himself fail. He’d work himself into exhaustion first.”

  “You don’t trust many people, do you?” Her eyes were so dam
n gorgeous, they were all I could focus on. Bright green, glassy like she was on the verge of tears, they looked like liquid emeralds.

  “I trust you.” I was surprised to hear myself say it, but I immediately realized it was true. I did trust Sasha. I trusted her character and her compassion. I trusted her honesty and her moral compass. Most importantly, I trusted her with Hailey.

  “If anything happens to Hailey or your mom or you… Maybe I should just go.”

  And this was why. She was worried about us. So much so, that she was willing to leave the safety of my house and possibly get caught by the dangerous asshole who’d drugged and abused her. She was so damn selfless and courageous, and there was no way in hell I was letting her walk out the door. She made me happy, and I intended to hold on to her with both hands.

  I closed the distance between us in two long strides.

  My intent must have been written all over my face, because Sasha’s eyes widened. “What are you doing?” she asked.

  I couldn’t tell if she was frightened or excited, so I needed to be careful. I wasn’t just another asshole using her to scratch an itch, and I needed to make sure she understood that. Dipping my head until our lips were less than an inch apart, I waited, giving her the opportunity to step back if that’s what she wanted.

  Instead, Sasha met my gaze. Every emotion I felt was reflected back at me, making me realize just how deeply we were connected.

  “You’re scared, so you want to run,” I said, already struggling to hold myself back when I wanted to snatch her up in my arms and kiss her senseless. “I get it. I’ve been running my whole life. But what if we’ve found something worth fighting for?”

  Her breath hitched and her eyes darkened with desire.

  I kissed her.

  Our lips met, and she melted against me. Running my tongue across the seam of her lips, I silently requested entry. She opened her mouth to me with a sigh, and my tongue slipped in. She tasted of comfort and home, energizing me and egging me on. I couldn’t seem to get enough of her. My hands slipped behind her neck as a strange sort of electricity pulsed between us, pulling me closer until I could no longer tell where I ended, and she began.

  But we weren’t close enough.

  I needed to feel her skin against mine, which meant the clothes had to go. I grabbed the hem of my shirt and broke the kiss long enough to tug it over my head and toss it aside. As we came back together, I grabbed Sasha’s shirt and repeated the process, careful of her shoulder. Our lips melded back together as our hands groped at our elastic waistbands.

  Finally naked, we pulled apart. Sasha’s eyes were bright, her lips were swollen, and her breathing was erratic. I allowed my gaze to drop, taking in her body. The bruises were fading, but they weren’t what I was interested in. Her shape was incredible. She was all soft curves and hard lines, perfect round tits with dark pink nipples, a tapered waist leading to wide hips and thick thighs. I drank in every sexy inch of her body, grabbing her hand and turning her around so I could feast my eyes on her fantastic ass.

  She was perfection. Every bruise, scar, and bandage paid tribute to her strength and determination. I wanted to become intimately acquainted with each dimple, kiss every freckle, run my tongue across every mole. “You’re fucking gorgeous,” I said, spinning her back around.

  Her expression softened. “You’re not bad yourself. I mean, if you’re into those perfect stripper body, probably-works-out-everyday, sexy-as-hell types. Which I am.”

  I chuckled and pulled her into my arms again. “Good. Is this okay? I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She swallowed. “I don’t want that either.” The desire in her eyes made her desire clear, but the way she chewed on her lip and the slight tremble in her arms told me she was scared.

  “What can I do?” I asked. “What do you need from me?”

  She looked over our scattered clothes and scooped up my shirt. Turning me around, she used it to tie my hands behind my back.

  I flexed, noting how loosely her bonds held me. “I can break out of this,” I said honestly.

  She turned me around to face her again, her green eyes pleading. “I know. Don’t.”

  I’d always been in control in the bedroom. Since Elaine, sex for me was basically get in, get my rocks off, get out. I fucked broads, but that was as far as I let shit go. Sasha knew I had trust issues and she wasn’t trying to keep me bound. Breaker had done something to take away her power in the bedroom, and she needed someone who cared enough to give it back to her. I could do that. I nodded.

  She patted the sofa. “Have a seat.”

  With my arms behind my back, I sat my ass down and waited.

  “Condom?” she asked.

  “Bathroom cabinet.”

  She slipped into the bathroom and returned with the box. I eyed it and she shrugged. “You never know. I like to be prepared.”

  “Hey, I admire that about you.”

  She set the box on the arm of the sofa and dropped to her knees. Looking at me from beneath her lashes, she said, “Try not to move.”

  Before I could ask why, she leaned forward and sucked my cock into her mouth. Hot pressure squeezed the tip, sliding down the shaft as she hollowed out her cheeks and tried her best to swallow me. It felt so damn good, a hiss escaped from my lips as I threw my head back. “Holy fuck!”

  The vibration of her laughter drove me wild as I tickled the back of her tonsils. She couldn’t take me all in, but she sure as hell tried. “That feels fuckin’ amazing.”

  Her gaze met mine, and appreciation shone in her bright green eyes. For that look alone, I’d let her tie me up a million times if she needed to. She slowly slid her lips up my shaft, releasing the head with a pop before plunging back down it. It was difficult to sit still and let her work me over when I wanted nothing more than to grab her head and fuck her mouth.

  But this wasn’t about me.

  This was about giving her what she needed. She sucked me off until I was about to shoot my load. Then she pulled off and stood, wiping my precum across her lips. Goddamn she was driving me wild.

  “Can I have a taste of that pussy?” I asked, staring at what I wanted. She had a perfectly trimmed landing strip leading down to some juicy looking lips that were making my mouth water. “Please?”

  “You want to do that?” she asked, sounding surprised.

  “Fuck yeah. Here, I’ll even make it easy on you.” I slid off the sofa, landing on my knees in front of her with my hands still secured behind my back. “You’re still in control.”

  Her eyes were dark with lust as she watched me, waiting to see what I’d do. I could smell her arousal, and it made everything in me want to throw her on the floor and fuck away the memory of every man who’d gone before me. Staying on my knees and submitting to her required so much restraint my body was shaking, but I stayed right where I was and waited.

  Finally, she stepped forward and positioned her pussy right in my face.

  Thank fuck!

  With the tip of my tongue, I stroked her clit. She moaned, and the sweet, sexy sound went straight to my cock. I swirled my tongue around her little nub of nerves, watching the enjoyment dance across her face. I kept swirling and stroking, working her up into a frenzy. When she started to pant and thrust herself against me, I dipped lower and lapped at her pussy.

  Sasha was sweet and sassy everywhere. As her nectar rolled over my tongue, she grabbed the back of my head and positioned me right where she needed me. She unabashedly fucked my mouth, releasing her freak in the filthiest way possible. It was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. Mesmerized by the sight, I drove my tongue through her wetness until she shattered over me.

  When I finally tugged my hands free, it was because I was afraid she was going to pass out. Feeling all too proud of myself, I steadied her and helped her to the sofa.

  Half-lidded and obviously drunk off lust, she collapsed into the cushions with a shit-eating grin. “Okay, that was different.”

  “You’ve neve
r been eaten before?”

  “Not like that.”

  Well, that sure as hell made me proud. I sat beside her and stroked my cock a couple of times, getting her attention. “You ready for another orgasm?”

  Her eyes opened a smidgen wider. “You’re getting cocky again.”

  “Get your fine ass over here and I’ll show you cocky.”

  “You freed your hands.”

  “Only because you needed me. I’ll keep ’em behind my back.”

  She eyed me. “Promise?”

  “Babe, I could have broken out any time I wanted to.” I settled my hands back behind my back.

  “I know.” Grinning, she wobbled over and plucked a foil packet from the box. Without breaking eye contact, she tore it open and slowly unrolled it over my cock, one excruciating millimeter at a time. I couldn’t tell if she was fucking with me or trying to give herself time to rally, but she was once again testing the hell out of my resolve.

  Once the condom was finally on, she straddled me, putting her voluptuous tits right in my face. I couldn’t touch her with my hands, but she’d voiced no such restrictions over my mouth. I sucked one perfect pink nipple past my lips and rolled it around my tongue.

  Sticking out her chest to encourage my attentions, she positioned herself over my cock, rubbing the head against her folds. All I’d have to do was flex my hips and I could drive myself home, but I refused to do it. She trusted me, and I’d cut off my own dick before I violated that trust. I sat there and let her play until she was good and ready. She inched down my shaft. As her body enveloped me, it was everything I could do to hold still. She bottomed out, and a gasp escaped from her lips. She squeezed me inside of her as she slid up.

  She must have had a blackbelt in Kegels or something, because her pussy did a number on me. Watching her slowly ride my cock was the sweetest form of torture I’d ever experienced. She was a dancer in her own right with the way her body moved and writhed, putting me right where she needed me before sliding away. She tempted and teased, and I gladly left her to it, enjoying every intensely agonizing second. I knew patience—I knew the secrets of fucking for hours without coming—but that was when I had the lead. I never understood how beautiful surrender could be until I watched Sasha slide up and down my cock like it was a treat she intended to savor.