He climbed out of bed and did a full-body stretch. The snap, crackle, pop told the story of how long he’d been playing football. Since he was a little kid, that’s how long. He remembered his dad taking him over to the Y and signing him up for Pop Warner ball. He must have been seven or eight. His dad never lived to see Danny play pro ball. Those last few years of his dad’s life, Danny had been so angry, and they’d barely spoken. His dad had told him to do what his coach wanted him to do—keep quiet about Marian so he could play ball—and so Danny had blamed him, too, lumped him in with the bad guys. Now he regretted those lost years. Yet another thing he could blame on Darren Peltz.
Danny shook off the negative thoughts. He was trying to be more positive, right? He stepped out into the hall and headed for the bathroom. Since he’d moved in after Tom, he’d been stuck with the hall bath. As soon as the lease was up, they were getting a place with two master baths. He started to turn into his bathroom and stopped just before he slammed his nose into the closed door. What the hell? Why was Tom using his bathroom? He heard a noise and turned to Tom’s bedroom door. He snuck over and peeked in, only to see Tom snoring softly. Oh, hell no. Some stranger was not washing their spunk off in Danny’s shower. No way, no how. He marched back to the bathroom door, trying to keep his shit together, and opened the door without knocking.
He was about to start yelling when he noticed the stranger in his shower wasn’t a guy. It was a woman. A woman with an absolutely amazing body. Holy shit. The only light on in the bathroom was a small spot over the shower, and it highlighted her body perfectly. She had a big, firm ass that curved into deep dimples. Her back looked sleek and strong as she raised her arms and ran her hands through her dark, wet hair, rinsing the shampoo out of it. She slowly turned under the shower spray, her head still tipped back as water ran over her face and down her body. Her breasts were perfect, the kind that were heavier on the bottom. He liked that. They were topped with large, dark areolas and nipples, and he wanted to rip open the shower door and suck one into his mouth, just drink that water right off her. Damn. He hadn’t been this instantly attracted to a woman in forever. Course, he didn’t usually see them naked right off, either.
He was about to leave when he realized there was something about her that seemed familiar. As he stood there, his hand on the door, staring at her through the glass, her eyes popped open and with startling suddenness, they were staring at each other. Her eyes were an unusual gold color. He knew those eyes. She blinked at him, stunned confusion on her face for a moment. Then her cheeks turned red with embarrassment and she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Danny,” she said. It only took him a second to place that hesitant, sweet voice with the sexy accent.
“Carmina?” he asked, completely shocked that she was the woman in his shower.
Tom must have brought her home. She was the late-night hookup. Tom never got emotionally involved with his hookups. Danny had asked why once, and Tom had just shrugged and said when it was right, he’d know it. Until then he wouldn’t waste his time pretending. Sometimes the kid really nailed the big picture. But maybe Carmina was more than just a hookup. After all, this wasn’t the first time she and Tom had been together, and Tom had told Danny he wanted more from her.
Danny’s confused thoughts swirled through his head as he stood there, just staring at her like a moron. Wanting her. He’d had dreams like this. About her. The reality was far better. As he watched, she lost her blush and her eyes darted down. She was checking him out. Shit. That tension that had always been between them was now thick in the air. He only had his boxer briefs on and it would be so easy to slide those down and off. They weren’t doing much to hide how turned-on he was. He reached for the shower door, but hesitated at the last second. Carmina wasn’t running away or screaming, but that didn’t mean she wanted him the same way he wanted her. She was just standing there staring at him, her gaze hot and intense. Then she dropped her arms. Before he realized what he was doing Danny pulled open the door.
Danny’s feet had a mind of their own as they carried him into the shower. The warm spray of the water hit his skin and the humid heat of the tiled enclosure wrapped around him, pulling him in further, until he stood in front of her, so close that a deep breath would have brought them together.
“If you’re going to run, little girl, you better do it now,” he said in a low voice. She shook her head.
“Not running,” she said in that slow, sexy way she had of talking.
When he reached around her and pulled her against him, it was almost in slow motion. He still wasn’t sure he wasn’t dreaming. How had he gotten here, naked in a shower with Carmina de la Cruz? She was looking up at him, those crazy eyes of hers asking questions he didn’t know the answers to. “This has bad idea written all over it,” he whispered as he leaned down to kiss her.
“Mmm-hmm,” she said, standing on her toes to meet him halfway. Her hands came up to rest on his chest and Danny had never wanted anyone so much in his life. As his lips met hers, he cupped one of those sweet butt cheeks and they both moaned. She slid her hands up around his neck and her embrace pulled him further into the water. The taste of her, the feel of her soft skin, the hot water beating against him—it overwhelmed his senses and his head began to spin. He reached out and pressed his palm to the tile wall to steady himself as he pulled her hips closer to his. The slick feel of her wet skin sent a shiver up his back.
He had to have her sooner, not later. There wasn’t going to be much foreplay. His cock already ached to be inside her. He plunged his tongue into her mouth the way he wanted to fuck into her, hard and fast, filling her. She moaned into his mouth, her fingers digging into his back. She was as into it as he was.
“Got to have you, baby,” he whispered. “You good? Do I need a condom?”
“No, I…yes,” she said. She sounded breathless, confused. Danny pulled back so he could see her face better. She looked as dazed as he felt. He pushed his hand between her legs and she widened her stance as her eyes fluttered shut. He encountered hot, slick pussy and he pressed his finger inside. She gave a stuttering little cry, sexy as hell, and buried her face in his shoulder.
“Shit,” he whispered. “This would feel so good wrapped around my dick. Hold that thought.” He reached out of the shower and grabbed a condom from the drawer. He flicked it in front of her. “I’ve got protection. We better not fuck without it.” He tore open the wrapper and pulled the condom out.
“Fuck?” she asked. Her eyes were blinking rapidly and he could tell she was losing that dazed look. “You want to fuck me?”
“Hell yes,” he told her, pushing his briefs down so he could roll the condom on, wishing she’d give him permission to take her. He kissed her again, wanting to bring her back to the place they’d been before. She kissed him back, surprising him with the force of her response. She bit his lip and sucked on it before she pulled away.
“Fuck me,” she demanded. She tried to wrap one leg around his waist, but he was too tall, so he hoisted her up with his hand on her ass and pressed her against the tile.
“You got it, baby,” he said. “Put my dick in you.” She didn’t respond right away. “Reach down and show me the way,” he said again. “My hands are a little busy.” He had one on the wall to support them and held her up with the other under her ass. She took his dick in her hand and raised herself up so she could notch him in her pussy. Danny hissed at how hot and soft she was. He pressed his hips forward just as she slid down, sheathing his dick in her tight cunt. “Damn, girl,” he said breathlessly. “Just damn.”
“Yes,” she said, her voice unsteady. “Fuck me. Now.”
“You don’t need to tell me twice.” He began to pound into her, instinct taking over. He wondered briefly if he was being too rough, but she moaned and clutched his shoulders and rode him, meeting him thrust for thrust, and he stopped worrying. He’d been attracted to her, it was true, but he’d never imagined she would be like this. So tight and h
ot, and so fucking into it. The water pounded on his back and slid down his ass into his crack and across his nuts and it was making him crazy. It was so fucking good.
She whimpered and bit his shoulder and he could feel her coming on his dick. Danny didn’t even try to hold back. He felt his orgasm coming and rode the wave of it, grunting and shivering as he came inside the sweetest pussy he’d ever fucked.
Chapter 13
When it was over he stood there panting, dizzy, trying to hold on to her and stay upright.
“You came, right?” he asked. “Sorry, I got lost in my own.”
“Down,” she said, her voice shaking. “Please.”
“Okay,” Danny said, sensing something was wrong. “Did I hurt you? Damn, I’m sorry, baby. I got carried away.” He leaned down to kiss her. At first she avoided him, but then she turned to him and met his lips. The kiss was sweeter than he’d planned on, but it was just right. “You all right?” he asked again, rubbing his cheek against hers, the water making them slick and soft.
“Yes.” She pushed him away, not looking at him. “I have to go.”
“What?” he asked, not sure he’d heard her correctly. “Going back to Tom?”
“Tom?” she asked. She shook her head. “No.” She blew out a breath. “I needed a shower. Mine is…not working.”
“Wait.” He backed up. “Didn’t you spend the night with Tom?”
“No.” She shook her head again. “I needed a shower.” She was repeating herself and Danny wasn’t getting it.
“Your shower? Upstairs?” He pointed up. “It’s broken?”
She nodded, relief on her face. “Yes, broken. Sorry. Tom said I could use yours.”
Danny ran his hand over his face. Shit. “I thought…that you and Tom…I mean…Damn. I’m sorry. I assumed…” He was trying not to panic. If she’d been sleeping with Tom, too, then this was just a fling. A fuck. But now…what the hell was she going to think? What had he done? He should have known she wasn’t like that. But he hadn’t been thinking straight. He could tell the minute she understood what he wasn’t saying. Her eyes narrowed.
“Let me out.” She tried to push him out of the way.
“Look,” he said, manning up. “This didn’t mean anything. Did it? I mean, you seemed to want it, too. Right?”
“Right,” she said in a flat voice. “I have to go. I have to go see someone.”
“Who?” he asked, not moving. “Who do you have to go see? Sam?” That’s not what he meant to say. He was fucking this all up, he could tell. But he wasn’t good at this shit. He never had been. Hadn’t he been telling himself all along that he needed to leave her alone?
“No,” she said, shoving him harder. “I have a job.”
“Where?” he asked in surprise.
“You don’t think I can?” she asked. She punched him in the chest. “Let. Me. Out.”
This had gone downhill pretty fast. Danny tried to regroup. “No, that’s not what I said. I just never knew you had a job. That’s all. I’m sorry. Here, let me get out of your way.” He moved aside and she stepped out of the shower. She grabbed a towel off the counter and barely wiped herself down before grabbing her clothes and opening the bathroom door. “Carmina, wait,” he called out, stunned at how quickly she was moving. This wasn’t how he wanted their time together to end. He jumped out of the shower and grabbed the same towel she’d used, wrapping it around his waist as he ran after her.
Just as he came out the door he saw Tom standing in the hallway and watched as Carmina ran right into him. “What the hell?” Tom asked, looking back and forth between them. Carmina wasn’t even dressed. Tom wrapped his arms around her protectively. “You’re all wet.” He looked at Danny. “You are, too.” Comprehension dawned. “Holy shit. What did you do?” he asked Danny.
“I didn’t do anything she didn’t want to do,” Danny said defensively, holding his hands up to ward off Tom’s anger. He didn’t like the way that sounded, and neither did Tom. Why couldn’t he say anything right this morning?
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Tom didn’t look or sound appeased.
“I thought you two had slept together last night.” Okay, that didn’t actually make it sound better. “And she was in my shower.”
Tom shoved Carmina behind him. “I told her she could use it,” Tom said angrily. “I didn’t know you were going to attack her.”
“I didn’t attack her,” Danny said, getting angry too. “Is that what you think? Shit, you of all people know I wouldn’t do that. She asked me to fuck her.” Tom’s eyes got big and he glanced over his shoulder at Carmina, who was busy pulling on a T-shirt. “Ask her. Tell him,” Danny demanded.
“Yes,” she snapped. “I asked.” She leaned around Tom. “I won’t be asking again.”
“What? Because I said it didn’t mean anything?” Danny asked incredulously. “It’s not like we’re dating. I found you naked in my shower and we both wanted it.”
“You actually said that?” Tom asked. “What kind of douchebag are you?”
“I’m not!” Danny ran his hand over his wet head. “I just didn’t want her to get the wrong impression. I thought it was better we were on the same page now instead of later.”
“Maybe before you fucked would have been a better time,” Tom said sarcastically. He turned to Carmina and took her shoulders in his hands. “Did you?” he asked. His question didn’t make sense to Danny, but Carmina seemed to know what he was talking about.
“Not now,” she whispered. She looked totally freaked out.
“You mean you didn’t?” Tom sounded disappointed. “I’m sorry.”
“I did,” Carmina whispered. Danny thought she didn’t want him to hear, but they were in the freaking hallway, no more than three feet apart. Of course he heard.
“Oh, shit,” Tom said. He looked between her and Danny.
“I have to go,” Carmina said, trying to pull away from him. “I have a job.”
“You got a job?” Tom asked. “That was fast.”
“Meet him,” Carmina said. She paused and took a deep breath. “Interview,” she finally said. She blew out a breath, as if just saying that word had been damn hard. That, more than anything, made Danny feel like a total shit, because he’d obviously upset her so much she couldn’t talk.
“Look, I’m sorry,” he said. “I know you have to go, but I don’t want you to go like this. You’ve got to understand, yes, there’s been this thing between us and I was trying to ignore it because I’m not in a place where that’s a good idea. But then there you were, and…I’m an idiot. I’m sorry.” He was talking very fast and he could see Carmina frowning a little as she tried to follow.
“Not all on you,” she said. “Me, too. It’s all good.” She turned to go but Tom caught her arm again.
“We have to talk about this,” he said. “You call me.”
“Later,” she said impatiently. She tugged her arm free and ran off.
“Put your pants on,” Tom called after her. The slam of the door was the only answer he got. He turned to Danny, eyes narrowed. “I have to kick your ass. You know that, right?”
“Do not make me kick your ass in self-defense,” Danny said. “Seriously. I do not want to hurt you.”
“As if,” Tom said, snorting in disgust. “Carmina is sweet and you treated her wrong. You know it. You take your beating like a man.”
“She wanted the same thing I did,” Danny said. “And she enjoyed every minute of it. I did not take advantage or attack her or whatever you’re thinking. I’ve always been attracted to her and the situation got out of control. I’m sorry.” He was slowly backing toward the bathroom. To his dismay, Tom turned and punched the wall, leaving a big hole behind.
“You better get out of my sight,” Tom said, staring at the wall. “I need some time to process what just happened and figure out what I’m going to do about it.”
“Do about it?” Danny asked, confused. “You realize this has nothing to do with
you, right?” When he saw the hurt look on Tom’s face, he pulled his head out of his ass and tried again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. Look, I know how you feel about her, and it was a shitty thing to do. I’m guilty of being a bad friend, I admit it. I just…I just didn’t think.” He tapped his fist lightly against his head. “Shit, man, I really am sorry.”
“Not as sorry as I am,” Tom said cryptically. He walked past Danny, giving him a hard shove into the wall before he slammed his bedroom door closed behind him.
—
Carmina was shaking when she got to her apartment. She had to try three times to open the door. As soon as she closed it behind her, she slid to the floor and sat there, stunned, shocked, horrified. What had she just done? Buster K came over and lay down beside her, his head resting on her thigh. He made an inquisitive dog sound while he looked up at her with his big, brown eyes.
“I did it with Danny,” she whispered, staring back at the dog. “I came. What does that mean? What does that say about me? That I came with a guy who doesn’t care about me at all, and I can’t come with Tom, who is the sweetest guy ever, and is trying so hard to help me?” She gave a frustrated, throaty growl and dropped her head back against the door as she petted Buster. “I’m a self-destructive, masochistic head case, that’s what it says about me.” She looked over at the clock. “Shit!” She had to be at her interview in forty-five minutes. Which meant she had to catch the bus in twenty. She jumped to her feet. When she ran her hands through her damp, tangled hair they were still shaking. “I think I have to take you with me,” she told Buster, her voice shaking, too. “I don’t think I can handle it all this morning.” Buster whined. “Exactly,” she said.
The bus was running late, so Carmina and Buster had to run from the bus stop to the office where the meeting was scheduled. The interview was for a job as a file clerk in a large insurance office. She figured she could handle that. Very little public interaction or speaking required. But as soon as she walked in and shook the interviewer’s hand, she knew it wasn’t going to go well. He was frowning at Buster.
Misconduct Page 9
