Instead, she looked up at him and laid her hand over his on the top of the door frame.
“I’m not ready to go home yet.”
If he was surprised by her statement, he didn’t show it. Then again, she hadn’t exactly been acting like someone who’d been coerced into this date.
Which should’ve totally messed with his head.
“Where would you like to go?”
He hadn’t offered an option, probably because he wanted to see what she’d say. She couldn’t ask him back to her apartment because her roommates were probably there.
But she wasn’t sure she had enough nerve to ask herself back to his place. So maybe—
“We’ll go to the club. We can have—”
“I’d rather go somewhere quiet.”
His gaze narrowed and she knew he was trying to figure out what angle she was working. She started to wonder if maybe she should just come out and tell him she wanted to go to his place when he asked, “Would you like to come to my home for a drink?”
She tried not to smile too brightly. “Yes, I would.”
Nodding, he waited for her to slide into the passenger seat then closed the door when he was sure she had her legs inside. She had a few seconds to take a deep breath and congratulate herself on getting what she wanted before he slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. She swore she could hear her heart pounding as he turned the key. Something made a discreet chime and then…the nearly silent hum of the engine.
He didn’t speak as he got them out of the garage and out onto the street. She let him have his silence, for now. She’d use this time to make a plan of attack. She wanted him to kiss her again. If she were honest, she wanted more than a kiss. Just how much more…
“Are you rethinking your decision?”
His voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “No. Why would you think that?”
“You’ve gone quiet.”
“You’re not exactly a fount of conversation yourself.”
His eyebrows rose slightly, acknowledging her point. “So what would you like to talk about? Ask me anything.”
Seriously? Her brain went blank.
He huffed out a quiet laugh. “Damn. I can’t believe it. I shocked you.”
She bit back a smile at the amusement in his tone. “I’m not shocked. Just thinking. I need to be sure I ask the right questions. You’re giving me the keys to the kingdom.”
“Are you that curious?”
Did he really have no idea how fascinated she was with him and Jesse? He couldn’t be that dense. Then again, he was a man.
“Will you tell me how you got involved with David Oleksy?”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel but he didn’t’ ignore her. “There’s not much mystery. My family was poor and we lived in a miserable section of town. Working for David meant protection and money. I was good. I got better. David noticed.”
“And Jesse?”
“He’s my best friend.”
Simply spoken, but he revealed so much.
“And do you do everything together?”
His jaw shifted. “Usually, yes.”
She drew in a short breath. “Women?”
He drove quietly for several seconds and she realized they weren’t far from his home. “Sometimes, yes. But you know that already, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
He shot her a quick glance. “And that doesn’t shock you?”
“My bosses are involved in a three-way relationship. Why would it shock me?”
“It’s unusual.”
“True but that doesn’t make it wrong. Why should I condemn you and Jesse for the same thing?”
“So open-minded for such a good girl.”
“Is that what you think?” She refused to allow him to goad her into losing her temper, but damn, he knew exactly where to strike. “You don’t know me well enough to know what I’m like.”
His haughty expression never changed. “I’ve done my homework, Mary Alice. I know enough—”
“No, you really don’t.”
“Then why did you agree to this arrangement? Are you really that committed to your friends that you’re willing to sacrifice your reputation—”
She laughed, cutting him off. “Oh please. You sound like the reputation police are going to show up and drag me away to prison.”
“Then what the hell are you doing here?”
Could the man really be that clueless?
Maybe you’re the one without a clue.
The thought made her heart pound a little harder.
Had she misread him?
“Do you really need me to spell it out for you, Max? You’re supposed to be so smart. You tell me why I’m here.”
He didn’t answer, just continued to drive in silence. She was about to goad him again when he slowed then stopped. They’d reached his home and she hadn’t realized, she’d been so focused on him.
With a few quick movements, he hit the brakes, slammed the car into park but left it running. Then he turned to her, a challenge on his hard expression. “You still want to come in?”
“I haven’t changed my mind in the past ten minutes.”
Turning off the engine, he shoved his door open and got out. By the time she’d grabbed her purse and her pashmina, he’d opened her door and held out his hand to her.
She took it and had to work to suppress a shiver when his much larger hand curved around hers then held tight as she stood. He didn’t move away and now they stood, only an inch or so separating them.
The heat of his body pressed against her skin, teasing her senses and making her breath catch in her throat. She wanted him to lean down and kiss her. He had to be able to read her thoughts on her face but his expression never changed.
A long second later, he turned toward the house, keeping hold of her hand as he walked. She liked having his hand wrapped around hers. She tightened her fingers, keeping close to his side.
She had to step quickly to keep up with him, his long legs covering much more ground than she could. Looking up, she saw an intensity in his expression that made her shiver.
He must have felt her hand shake because he glanced at her, just a quick look that made her thighs clench.
Could he see how much she wanted him? Did he know? Or was she going to make a complete fool of herself?
She’d thought he wanted her, thought there was a mutual attraction. Maybe she’d just been fooling herself because right now, he didn’t look like a man who wanted to get her into bed. He looked annoyed.
A few people walking along the street gave them looks, but Max didn’t acknowledge anyone. He walked up to the entrance, pressed a few buttons on the concealed panel then walked inside when the door opened.
He released her the second the door closed behind them and, in the next second, she found herself pinned against the door by his body.
Her breath left in a rush and she barely restrained herself from moaning at the feel of his hard body pressed against hers. For days, she’d been dreaming about having him this close and now that he was…
She wanted so much more.
Now she saw emotion in his expression. Lust, pure and hot and definitely directed at her.
His hands flattened on the door just above her shoulders and his head tilted down toward hers.
“Be very sure you know what you’re doing right now, sweetheart. Because once we—”
Putting her hand on his cheek, she rose onto her toes and pressed her lips against his, cutting off his words. Hard enough to show him she meant exactly what she wasn’t saying.
For several seconds, he let her kiss him. And she took full advantage.
Tilting her head, she slanted her lips over his and tasted him, let her tongue run along the seam of his lips and tease him into opening for her. His lungs labored and he tensed, but he didn’t move away and she didn’t let up.
She kissed him, rubbing her lips against his until he finally started to kiss her back.
When he took over, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her body against him.
God yes. She’d wanted this all night. Standing beside him, letting herself get worked up whenever he brushed against her.
Her nipples peaked and her pussy clenched, aching for something to fill it. Aching for him. She had been for days. Weeks, if she were honest.
Vaguely, she heard him groan and his kiss became more insistent. Her fingers scraped into his hair, along his scalp then tugged on the not-quite-long-enough strands. A little coarse, just enough to give it thickness. He always had it combed so perfect. She wanted to mess it up a little. Wanted to know what it looked like first thing in the morning, all mussed and sexy.
Getting ahead of yourself.
She gasped as he nipped her bottom lip, as if he’d realized her mind had drifted. He took the opportunity to open her lips and slip his tongue into her mouth.
Electricity zinged through her, making her breasts ache to be flattened against his hard chest but she couldn’t—
Max broke away with a growl, startling her into releasing him. Her eyes flew open and she looked up into his. And nearly moaned at the heat there.
“Be sure, Mally. Be very sure.”
Her eyes widened even more at the pet name only her family and close friends used. A frisson of lust made her breath rush out of her lungs. She loved hearing it coming from his mouth.
Where had he heard it? Or had he simply come up with it himself?
She wanted to hear him whisper it in her ear while he stripped her naked and filled her with his cock and made her come.
Holy crap.
His gaze narrowed and he lifted one hand to cup her jaw. His hold wasn’t controlling but it made every nerve ending in her body come to attention. She squeezed her thighs together to relieve some of the pressure building between them.
Then he stepped closer and pressed his body full length against hers.
Yes. This.
His erection pressed into her lower stomach but she was too short for them to align properly so she could get that hardness where she needed it.
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t sure.”
Her voice sounded breathy but not weak. And definitely not unsure. She knew what she wanted and she couldn’t believe he was being such a Boy Scout about this.
On one hand, it confirmed her suspicion that the man wasn’t as ruthless as he wanted to appear. On the other, she had to wonder why he seemed so determined to scare her off.
She didn’t have time to wonder anymore because he grabbed her waist and lifted her until her feet didn’t touch the ground. Completely at his mercy.
And loving it.
She had a split second to draw in a breath before his mouth descended again and this time, she realized just how much he’d been leashing himself.
Now he demanded she kiss him instead of letting her take the lead. His lip moved over hers with an unspoken command that she give him what he wanted. His hips pinned hers to the wall and his cock pressed against the vee of her thighs, the hard ridge grinding against her mound, almost perfectly aligned with her clit. She just needed—
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she lifted her legs and wrapped them around her waist, praising herself for wearing this dress because of the split that allowed her so much movement.
With his lips still pressed against hers, he tilted his head to the side and kissed her deeper. The groan rumbling in his chest vibrated into her body, making her blood respond as if he’d doused her in gasoline and lit a match.
Pressing herself closer, she arched her back and smiled against his lips when he groaned again.
Suddenly, he turned, still holding her tight, and began to walk. She moved her lips from his mouth to his jaw, pressing kisses along the strong line straight up to his ear.
The only light in the room came from the back of the house but he obviously knew his way around in the dark. Seconds later, he sat, arranging her over his lap with her knees on either side of his thighs.
He barely gave her a chance to catch her breath when he put a hand on the back of her head and held her in place for his mouth to devour hers again.
His other hand pressed against the small of her back, urging her forward, crushing her mound against his cock. She wanted to purr at the sensation, but his kiss scrambled all of her faculties.
She could only respond and react, especially when he wound her hair through his fingers and tugged.
Her head fell back as his mouth left hers to burn kisses along her throat, open-mouthed and hot against her skin. The sensation was so drugging, she didn’t realize his hand on her back had moved and now cupped her left breast in a firm hold.
He kneaded her, hard. Pinched the nipple between his thumb and forefinger and sent lightning streaking through her body, making her sex clench and her fingers dig into his shoulders.
He seemed to know exactly what she wanted and how. The tight hold, the slight pinch of pain. No other man had given it to her. And she’d been unwilling or unable to ask for it.
Max just knew that she wanted him to squeeze her breast until she panted, roll the tip into a tight point until the sensation almost hurt. Until she couldn’t breathe without needing more.
The hand in her hair released at that second and she almost complained until he used that hand to push her dress out of the way of his mouth. He bared her breast, yanking down her bra until it formed a shelf to hold her breast out for him.
Then his lips latched on to the nipple and he drew the tip inside, sucking hard and causing her sheath to tighten and go wet. Squirming, she tried to get closer but he clamped one hand on her ass and forced her to stay still.
He said nothing but he expressed himself perfectly without words. And she was willing to give him what he wanted as long as he continued to give her what she needed.
At the moment, he was.
And it was so much better than she’d dared to dream about. And she’d been doing a hell of a lot of dreaming lately. About Max. And Jesse—
No.
The hand on her ass squeezed tight then he released her only to tap her ass a second later.
Oh god, she hoped the neighbors didn’t hear her moan.
Her head tilted forward and she sank her fingers into his hair again. She wanted him to continue to play at her breasts but she wanted him to tear his pants open and let her sink down onto his cock. She wanted to ride him but first she wanted to suck him into her mouth and taste him.
All the dreams she’d been having lately had featured taking him in her mouth. She hadn’t had much opportunity to have that with other guys, but she wanted it with Max.
Hell, she wanted whatever she could get from him. Hard and fast and a little dirty.
Why did he do this to her? Why him?
“Max.”
He didn’t answer. He couldn’t. He was stringing a line of kisses between her breasts so he could work his magic on the one he’d neglected so far. Teasing and tormenting her with his mouth while his hand kneaded her ass, his fingers inching closer to the soft skin between her legs.
God yes. Please.
The air around them grew heated, drugging her senses. Something had changed. Something… She tried to blink her eyes back into focus but then he slipped his hand under her skirt and wrapped it around her thigh, giving her a squeeze before moving up to cup her pussy in his palm.
Her eyes closing, she moaned as he pressed the heel of his hand against her clit, ground it against her in small circles until she hovered right on the verge of orgasm. An orgasm he seemed determined to deny her.
She strained forward, trying to make him make her come, but he held off just enough, even as he pulled off her breast, scraping his teeth along the nipple and making her cry out.
His head shot up and his hand between her legs stilled as she sucked in a ragged breath.
“Don’t you dare stop now.”
The look he gave her made her shiver.
“I have no
fucking intention of stopping. And I plan to hear that scream again. Take the dress off.”
Swallowing hard, she held his gaze as her hands dropped to the bow at her side holding the dress closed. His gaze glittered as she tugged the bow open then shrugged the dress off her shoulders.
It fell to the floor without a whisper and now his gaze dropped. Hers followed and she caught a quick glimpse of his throat convulsing as he swallowed hard.
Nice to know he wasn’t as cool as he tried to pretend. Hell, she couldn’t even pretend. She was burning up.
She sat on his lap, basically naked with the exception of her bra pushed under her breasts and the tiny silk panties.
The way he looked at her made her lungs burn for air.
When he leaned forward again and drew her closer, she expected him to go for her breasts. Instead, he pressed an almost sweet kiss against her neck. Shivering, she reached for his shoulders and felt the muscles flex beneath her hands.
She wanted to feel his skin against hers. Wanted him naked and—
He nipped at her breast at the same time he twisted his hand against her clit and made her gasp.
Her hands slid under his jacket and she tried to push it off.
He smacked her ass again, this time a little harder. This one stung. And she liked it. Her moan had to make that obvious.
“I’ll have to take my hands off you to take off the jacket.” He twisted his hand on her clit then let his fingers press back along her slit. “And I don’t want to do that.”
“Do you always get what you want?”
When he didn’t answer right away, she looked into his eyes. And blinked at the darkness she saw there.
“No. But I will tonight.”
This time, his kiss held a harder edge. With another man, she might’ve balked. But for this one, she’d give him what he wanted. Because she knew he would give her what she wanted. He already was.
“On your feet, Mally.”
He didn’t wait for her to comply, just wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her, as if she weighed nothing at all.
The show of strength shouldn’t have made her quiver. It did.
“Take your panties off.”
His voice dropped an octave, stroking her deep inside. She sucked in a breath but her hands rose to her hips, her fingers sliding beneath the lace that matched her bra then pushing her panties down.
Kobo Indecent Arrangment Part I Page 9
