Dark Nights Dangerous Men

by Elisabeth Naughton, Cynthia Eden, Katie Reus, Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright, Joan Swan

“I do.” She rubbed damp palms down the sides of her thighs. “Give me just a minute?”

  A smile turned one side of his mouth. He leaned back, rolled to his side, and rested on an elbow, head propped on his hand. “I’ve got the best view in the house. Take all the time you need.”

  She laughed, and it came out as a light, happy sound. One that both lifted and filled her heart. And she realized that despite all the turmoil surrounding them, the fact that they still remained virtual enemies on opposite sides of a vital goal, Rio did all that for her. He made her lighter and happier. He filled her heart.

  She faced him and pushed her hair back with both hands, grateful for the dark hiding her blush of embarrassment. “I’m…God, I’m sorry.”

  He heaved a dramatic sigh. “I am suffering pretty badly here.” A devilish grin edged one side of his mouth up. “I think a little…striptease…might make me feel better.”

  Heat burst at the center of her body and warmed all the places that had gone cold from the panic attack. What was it that caused that pull between her legs when he talked like that? His voice? The insinuation? The image she brought up in her mind? The word striptease? That sexy little smile? It was making her crazy.

  “I was kinda hoping you’d undress me. And…” Cassie bit the inside of her lip and approached him. She pressed her legs against his. When she lifted a knee to the bed, Rio’s eyes sparked, but he didn’t move. She leaned over, planted her hands on either side of him and said, “I’ve heard friends say they know guys who can open bras with their teeth.”

  A laugh rocked Rio’s chest. His dimples appeared. “Sorry, baby, that’s not me. Not that talented, I guess.” His gaze lowered to her breasts, went hot and heavy. His hand lifted, the back of one finger slid up her arm. Down again. Gooseflesh rose beneath his touch. “But I’m up for the challenge. And lots of practice.”

  She leaned in and kissed him, whispered, “How about one-handed?”

  His smile deepened. Those dimples tugged at her heart. With his head still lazily propped on one hand, the other hand skimmed back up her arm, over her shoulder, across her cheek. There he met her eyes and held her gaze. He touched her lips, drew his finger down her chin, neck, chest. She felt his fingers slip beneath the clasp of her bra.

  Click. Her breasts fell free.

  Even though she knew it was coming, she sucked in a breath of surprise.

  His grin grew. Heated.

  “You are so full of shit,” she said.

  “Don’t know what you mean.” Without looking away from her, he cupped her bare breast, squeezed. Cassie’s eyes fell closed on a moan.

  “You could probably unsnap a bra by looking at it,” she said.

  He laughed. The sound was deep and sexy and coming closer. She opened her eyes just before sensation burst in her chest and she found Rio’s head at her breast, his tongue sliding over her nipple.

  The arm supporting her almost buckled, and she wrapped the other around his head, sank her fingers into his hair, and fisted them.

  She fought between closing her eyes to absorb the exquisitely torturous sensations and keeping them open to watch the erotic sight of Rio’s wet mouth working her breast.

  She couldn’t believe the rush of lust pummeling through her body. Or how fast that delicious tightening sensation grabbed between her legs.

  “Whoa, hold on…” She pushed off the bed and straightened before he took over again and she was two orgasms down while he was still dressed. “You are…just…wow…”

  Grinning, dimples flashing, he took her hands and lay back, gently tugged her toward that ideal position on top of him. “I’ll remind you next time you’re pissed at me.”

  Cassie paused, spread her hands on his chest, pulled them toward his belly. Muscle contracted and flexed beneath her fingers, making her consider how much power lay hidden, how much strength he held in check, and a flare of fire licked between her legs.

  “I love the feel of your hands on me,” he said, voice husky.

  “And I love the feel of you under my hands.”

  Something strong and elemental stirred inside her, heating a need to explore and please. Her gaze closed in on his erection, bulging through the opened zipper, and a sudden hunger made her swallow.

  Cassie sank to her knees between his spread thighs. “You still have too many clothes on.”

  Lifting his head to look at her tightened his abs, and they rippled in the dim light. He pulled at her again. “Let me take care of that, baby.”

  “And steal all my fun? Forget it.”

  She tugged at his shorts with one hand, palmed his erection with the other.

  Rio’s hands fisted, and a sexy sound came from his throat. He pulled a supporting arm from beneath him to reach for her. “Don’t worry about—”

  She put a hand to his shoulder and gave him a shove. He fell back. “Don’t bug me. I’m busy.”

  He was laughing when she finally freed him, and she swore they sucked air at the same time—for completely different reasons.

  “Cassie?”

  Rio’s questioning tone made her realize she was just staring at his erection, and a crush of embarrassment heated her face. But she grinned up at him. “Sorry. I was a—lot—distracted.”

  He caressed her shoulder, touched her cheek. “We’ll go slow.”

  She wasn’t quite sure why, but those words slammed her with disappointment. A sense of failure. She lifted his erection from where it rested against his belly. Rio shivered. “Cass.” His voice came out weak and rough. “If we’re going to take it slow, you need to stop—”

  “Maybe I don’t want slow.” She dipped her head for a taste. A sweeping sample of the wide head with her tongue.

  The muscles of Rio’s abdomen jerked. A sense of control and excitement made her draw the head fully into her mouth. Close her lips around him. Work her mouth and tongue over him.

  “Ah, my God.” Rio growled through clenched teeth.

  Cassie pulled back, sliding her hand along his length, and looked up. He’d dropped his head back. His chest rocked with quick, shaky breaths. Lord, he was a gorgeous sight. Wide shoulders sloped to a tight chest and ripped abdomen, tapering to his open shorts hitched low on lean hips, muscular thighs splayed around her, his big shaft in her hand.

  A crazy, heady erotic urge overtook her. A surge of power. A release of inhibitions.

  “Cassie.” He breathed her name without lifting his head. And there was a plea in his tone. Not for her to continue, but for her to stop. His way of trying to take care of her. “Cassie…baby…”

  She brought her mouth down on him again and, this time, let go of every worry, every fear for the sole purpose of bringing Rio pleasure. Of proving to him she wasn’t a weak female to be cared for, but a strong woman to be loved.

  The sounds grinding out of his throat were well worth her efforts. Guttural, needy, almost frenzied. Hearing him call her name in that voice drenched with lusty thrill drove her own pleasure. The way his whole body tightened and shuddered from nothing more than the lick of her tongue, the brush of her lips, the suction of her mouth urged her to set an even higher bar for Rio’s pleasure.

  She repeated strokes that made his hands clench in the comforter. Sucked harder when his groans grew louder. Opened her throat to him when he pushed deep and arched his back. She savored his taste, his texture, his heat, his strength.

  But soon, it wasn’t enough. She needed more. She needed it all.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The luscious, warm pull and slide of Cassie’s mouth was about to throw him off a cliff. He desperately wanted her to stop. He desperately wanted her to go on forever. He was trapped in this cocoon of erotic pleasure. Couldn’t speak for the way his throat closed. Couldn’t reach for her with his hands clawing the bed beneath him. Couldn’t move in any way other than to lift his hips toward the source of pleasure.

  But if he didn’t do something soon, he was going to lose it right where he was, and while that would be an amazi
ng erotic end to their lovemaking another time—this was not that time. He had his mind set on being buried deep inside her.

  He forced his head up. Forced his eyes open. And was treated to the sight of Cassie’s tongue reaching out to stroke him, face relaxed in what looked like bliss as her tongue went round and round and sent tug after tug of excitement up his cock and into his groin.

  “Cass.” The pathetic whisper brought her eyes open. And, oh God, had that been a mistake. Because she smiled and held his gaze as she closed her lips around the head, then drove the length into her mouth, finally letting her eyes fall closed when she’d taken as much of him as she could. And then she groaned.

  The sound vibrated over him like a sex toy. Shivering electric currents right into his cock. The sensation was so exquisite he lost his mind for a few seconds. Just lost it. Blanked completely out. Floated in pure perfection.

  “Cass,” he forced out from behind his teeth. “Gotta…stop…”

  She finally took her mouth off him, and he felt like he could open his lungs. He curled forward and grabbed her wrists before she decided to act on any other sexy ideas.

  He sat up, pulled off her panties, kicked off his own shorts and underwear. Paused only to snuggle his mouth to her sex for an openmouthed kiss before trailing his tongue up her belly. Then he gripped her waist and pulled her on top of him.

  He took her face with both hands and kissed her. Devoured her. Licked and sucked and bit and tasted, releasing all the need and want he’d bottled for the last six months…the last six years…

  Wet, warm, soft pressure on the head of his cock tore his attention from Cassie’s mouth. He released her, lifting to sit at the same time. But she pushed him back by the shoulder. She knelt over him, knees wide, his shaft between her legs.

  “Cassie, wait—”

  “I don’t want to wait.”

  Pressure squeezed him. Luxuriant heat. Snug, soft, wet. “Oh my God.”

  He opened his eyes to hers closed tight—but not in pleasure.

  That cleared his head fast. He grabbed her hips and pulled her off him. “Hold on. Let’s start over.” He took her arms and tugged her down on top of him. Kissed her. “Lift your hips.”

  When she’d tucked her knees up under her, he pulled up into a half curl, slid his hands down the sexy curve of her back, along the indention of her waist, spread his hand on her ass, and eased her open.

  She made one of those sounds again, a mewl in her throat, and his cock jerked.

  “Push up a little more,” he whispered.

  From behind, Rio released one cheek to rub his cock over her entrance, press the head at her wet lips, and slid into her heat.

  Cassie dropped her forehead to his shoulder. “Oh, God, that’s good.”

  He was barely in and already breathing hard with the anticipation of filling her, driving her into the pleasure again and feeling her tighten around him. “Look at me.”

  She lifted her head, eyes filled with need again, hair falling everywhere. She blew a few strands out of her face.

  “I’m going to ease you down,” Rio said.

  “Yes.” Her hissed whisper sent gooseflesh over his skin.

  He relaxed his muscles and let her slide onto him just enough to feel the squeeze. She groaned. He echoed.

  “Ready for more?” he asked.

  “God, yes.”

  Teeth clenched, Rio lowered her until he felt the first real resistance. Lifted her, made a few small thrusts to wet his cock, and started the slow slide back in. Continued the pattern until he filled her. Completely. And she was so tight Rio’s vision faded at the edges. He had to use all his concentration to clench his muscles and hold off climax. And this was well worth it.

  Now, with his hands sliding over her skin, his mouth kissing her neck, he savored the moment. She was his. All his. God, it felt like he’d been waiting for her forever.

  He focused his mind on a distant goal. Lost himself in the feel of her skin, the shape of her body, feeling her everywhere he could reach. And she remained just as passionate headed toward her second climax as she had been going for her first. Maybe more so. Her hands explored more boldly; her mouth took more fervently. And they moved perfectly together, as if they’d already found their own ideal rhythm.

  “You feel so good,” he murmured against her mouth. “You’re so wet.”

  Her body squeezed; her breath quickened.

  “You like it when I talk nasty,” he said. “Don’t you?”

  She murmured, shook her head.

  He pulled out slowly, pushed back, even slower. “Then it won’t turn you on when I tell you how hot you look when you come. Or how I love to watch you.”

  “Oh my God.” The bite of her nails thrilled him and pushed their rhythm into a quicker pace.

  He kissed a path up her throat. At her ear, he whispered, “Or how watching your head move between my legs was a fantasy. Or how when you sucked me, I wanted to scream. Or how you almost made me come in your mouth.”

  “Oh my God.”

  Cassie sat up, rising above him. The position forced him deeper. She dropped her head back, arched. So beautiful. Rio took control of her hips, rising as he pulled her forward, maximizing friction. She added her knees to the movement and started a slow, full ride, taking him completely on each stroke, her body undulating like an easy ocean wave.

  “Making me crazy.” His control was slipping. He gripped the tops of her thighs and stroked the bare lips of her sex with his thumbs. Her sounds grew louder, needier. Her movements faster. He moved one hand to her mound and met the pressure when she rubbed against it. Her head fell forward. Rio watched the intensity of her orgasm build and memorized the sight of her deep in the pleasure he’d brought her. Anticipation swirled, sweet and rich, in Rio’s gut.

  “Hold it back, Cassie. Make it last.” He held her hips with both hands, tilted her pelvis back, pushed his up, put extra power behind his thrusts, and pulled her into him on each. When Cassie’s eyes flew wide, when her mouth opened but nothing came out, he knew he’d hit that spot he’d been going for. “Yes, baby. That’s it,” he growled. “Hold back. Wait…wait… So good when it hits hard.”

  And it did hit her hard. Cassie lifted out of her arch with a look of shock, instantly closed her eyes with pained pleasure tightening her face. Mini shockwaves quivered through her, making her melt backward, buck and twist and cry out and moan and smile. Rio kept his thrusts deep, kept the tempo varied until he’d lost count of how many times her body seized in climax.

  He was dripping sweat when she finally opened her eyes, breathing hard. Shivering from an aftershock.

  “I’m…” he said around quick breaths, “going to come, Cass.”

  She smiled. The look squeezed his heart. He thrust deep, thrust deep, pulled out, and dragged her on top of him. He held fast as his own climax shot through him in a brutal, searing blast of pleasure.

  Ripples of excitement continued long after. Tiny bursts of pure, vivid satisfaction. His chest heaved for air, carrying Cassie on the rise and fall where she lay against him, limp. He could feel her rapid heartbeat against his side.

  He didn’t move for a long time. Didn’t want to move ever again. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, that was the best sex ever. And she’d been everything he’d wanted before this.

  Shifting, he roused Cassie. She lifted her head and looked at him with sleepy, sated eyes that made his heart twist.

  “That was…” she said, just getting her breath back. “Unbelievable.”

  He was sure his smile could have provided power to the estate for a month. Leaning in, he kissed her and whispered, “You’re unbelievable.”

  He rolled her to her back, skimmed his gaze down her body, and gained a ridiculous pleasure from seeing his fluid glistening on her belly. That had to be wrong on some level, but he couldn’t think of which with only ten percent of his brain working.

  “Don’t move.” He kissed her swollen lips again. And again.

  Her hand
rounded his head. Her lashes fell as her fingers slid into his hair, and she sighed. “Jesus, Rio. I don’t even have words…”

  “You don’t need them. I was there too.” He kissed her again. Had to force himself to stop. “I’ll get a towel.”

  He rolled to his feet and had to hold the doorjamb on the way to the bathroom to keep him oriented. “Holy shit, girl. You fucked me dizzy.”

  A burst of Cassie’s laughter made Rio laugh too. Which made him remember how they’d laughed during. He hadn’t laughed during, or after, sex in years.

  With a warm water-dampened towel and a handful of condoms from where he kept them in the bathroom—way too far for him to have left her to get one—he returned to her, tossed the condoms on the nightstand, and carefully wiped her clean, then dried her stomach. He leaned down to press a kiss there, inhaling his scent on her skin.

  “Condoms,” she said, voice soft, hands caressing his shoulders. “We forgot…”

  “It’s okay,” he said against her skin before planting another kiss and rolling to his side next to her, when what he really wanted to do was smother her with his body.

  “Oh my God. I can’t believe I forgot… Me, of all people…”

  “Good to know I can distract the common sense out of you.” He splayed his hand over her belly button, slid it to her hip, and rolled her toward him. She looped an arm around his neck, a pained look pulling at her brow. “Hey. I’ve got your back.” He dropped kisses on her forehead to smooth it, fell backward, and dragged her halfway on top of him. “I’ll never let anything happen to you, love.”

  The red LED numbers on the bedside clock flicked from 3:59 to 4:00, and Cassie couldn’t procrastinate any longer. If she did, there would be some rough consequences she wasn’t ready to face—starting with the one lying snuggled to her back.

  A big part of her wanted to stay here in the warm security of his arms, experience his passion again. His sensuality. She sighed and hugged his arm where it was wrapped tight around her chest, his hand covering her breast. He was just too good to be true. So sensual, he slid his hands over her body like a sculptor; his mouth seemed to cherish her. And he talked as they made love, said things that made her feel beautiful, accomplished, and so sexual. And they’d laughed, played. Had damn fun. She smiled just thinking about his flash of dimples, his challenging sense of humor, the way his eyes sparkled when he was happy.