Unworthy Heart: The Donnellys, Book 1

by Dorothy F. Shaw

  She unbuttoned his shirt and ran kisses down his jaw, to his neck. Ryan groaned and gripped her sides with force when she bit the tender spot below his ear. Excitement raced through her. She loved how she got to him.

  Pushing his shirt off his shoulders, Maiya splayed her hands on his chest and kissed and licked her way to each nipple. He nudged her back a bit and pulled her dress down to her waist and off her arms.

  She gazed at him. The fleshy mounds of her breasts arched at the top of her bra and he caressed the tops of each with the backs of his fingers. She tumbled head over feet like a tidal wave from the expression in his eyes while he whispered, almost reverently, again about her beauty. She couldn’t hold it back any longer.

  And as her heart opened, it broke a little too. Ryan would hurt her, she was sure, but she gave in to it anyway. “Ryan.” His name spilled from her lips in a low tone, unsure if she was asking a question or stating a fact, and a little afraid that if she spoke too loudly she’d break the spell between them.

  Ryan ran one hand up her chest to her neck, and cupped her face. Trembling, she leaned into it, letting him hold her.

  Raising his other hand, he cradled her face between both, and kissed her. Feather-light kisses over her eyes, her nose, her cheeks and then her lips. “Shh. I’ve got you, baby.”

  Maiya fell, and hoped like hell when she hit bottom, she wouldn’t shatter.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  She quivered beneath Ryan’s touch. Was she as scared as he was? Ryan didn’t want to examine it too closely, but Maiya was all he could think about anymore. Instead, he followed his desires and ignored his fears. Maiya fit him.

  Breaking the kiss, he urged her back onto the bed and then tugged her dress off. Christ, she was amazing framed in matching black lace lingerie. Her voluptuous breasts called to him from the confines of her bra and he ran his hands down the swell of them to her stomach. “Take off your bra.”

  After running her hand over the top of his head, she arched and unsnapped her bra. Ryan painted a line down the center of her abs with his tongue and then circled her belly button, tickling her soft spots. Her tummy jumped from his attentions. A beat of pride at knowing her body so well rolled through him. Unsnapping each garter strap from her hose, he removed the belt from her waist and then hooked his thumbs under the thin straps of her panties and slid them down her thighs. She lay still, gazing at him while he unwrapped his present.

  As he moved over her body, he took little sips of her sweet skin. She was a gift. His gift. Maiya was the best present he’d ever gotten and he savored every second of the act as if it might be his last chance. “If I could tie you to this bed, I would. We’ll do that next time we’re at my house.” Wasting no time, he leaned over, grabbed the chocolate syrup and then poured a line down her stomach.

  “Ryan!” She buried her hands in his hair.

  Ryan licked the sticky warm sweetness from her flesh. “I didn’t think you’d taste sweeter. I was wrong. You taste incredible with a side of chocolate.”

  She giggled. “You’re crazy.”

  “Crazy for you, maybe.” Using his fingers, he scooped some whipped cream from the bowl and spread a generous amount over each nipple. “Let’s see how you taste with this.” He sucked one coated areola between his lips.

  “Holy shit.” She sucked in a ragged breath.

  “Mm. That’s good.” He moved to the other nipple.

  She anchored her legs around his hips. “I want a taste.”

  “Are you kidding? Pfft. I’m not sharing.” He chuckled and bit her nipple and was rewarded with her squeal of pleasure. He loved it. Ryan took a strawberry, dipped it in the chocolate and brought it to her nipple. She watched, eyes wide, her teeth planted on her bottom lip.

  Ryan exhaled a harsh breath at the sight of her luscious mouth, and circled the hard tip of her nipple with the berry. Dragging it up the swell of her breast, he brought it to her lips, and held it just out of reach. “Lick it.”

  A drop of chocolate dribbled on to her bottom lip. She raised one brow and smiled. The tip of her pink tongue snaked out and she licked the syrup away. With a quick movement, she reared up and bit the end off the berry.

  Ryan almost came in his pants. “Eager, huh?” Taking a bite, he hummed. “Everything tastes better with a little Maiya mixed in.”

  “Can’t argue that. My turn.” She unbuttoned his pants.

  He let her push them down, along with his boxers, freeing his shaft. It was hard-as-steel for her, like always. “Yeah, right. You argue about everything, especially when I’m involved.”

  She scooped some whipped cream from the bowl and spread it over the head of his cock. “Shut up.” Maiya swallowed him to the back of her throat, all the white cream disappearing into her mouth.

  His moan of approval echoed in the silence of the room. Zings of arousal pumped up and down his spine. Ryan’s head fell back and he took a deep breath, trying to regain some control. At this rate, he’d be climaxing in two seconds, like a teenager. But, damn her mouth was a mix of heaven and hell. Delicious torture.

  In an effort to distract himself, he poured chocolate syrup down the middle of her back. She gasped, her mouth still full of his prick. Drawing back up his length, she sucked a little harder on the head.

  “Fuck!” Clenching his teeth, he breathed rapidly through his nose. When his head stopped spinning he smeared the chocolate down her back and ass.

  She arched and then pulled him from her mouth. “Don’t you get any syrup near my kitty. I might have to take a pound of flesh if you do.” She sucked him between her lips again and cupped his scrotum in her hand, squeezing gently.

  “I won’t…” He panted. “Damn, baby. If you keep that up, I’m not going to last.”

  She rolled her tongue over the head.

  That. Was. It.

  Grabbing her arms, Ryan pulled her away, spun her, and bent her forward on to all fours. She glanced over her shoulder at him, a slight grin tilting her lips. “I wasn’t done.”

  Her hair was still up in its twist, but much of it had fallen loose, cascading over her shoulders. She looked so damn sexy his breath caught in his throat. Ryan swallowed a couple times, allowing himself a moment to learn how to breathe again. Applying a little pressure to her upper back, he pushed her farther down on the bed. “Ass in the air.”

  Giggling, she wiggled her hips.

  He slapped her bottom. Once. Hard enough to sting and make her squeal. “Testing me, Maiya?”

  “If I say yes, will you spank me again?”

  She was taunting him. Damn woman. He smoothed his palms over her ass cheeks and up her back, smearing more of the chocolate. Scooping a big handful of whipped cream, he added it to the chocolate, and then leaned forward and licked a line up her spine. She moaned and pressed her ass against his prick.

  “Cock slut.” Ryan straightened and slapped her ass again, but then smoothed his hand over the red mark he’d made, soothing it. “Don’t move.” He removed his pants and boxers and then positioned himself behind her on the bed again.

  Maiya remained on her knees, her head lowered to the bed, her ass in the air. Open and willing, the way he loved her to be. Running two fingers through her folds, finding how slick she was, he murmured an oath of thanks.

  “Oh. God.” Maiya rocked back against his fingers. “I need you inside me.”

  “I’m not done eating cream and chocolate off your delectable skin.”

  She shifted her hips back again. “Ryan Donnelly, if you don’t fuck me right this minute, I’m going to get myself off. You can watch from the corner.”

  “Is that so?” He slapped one butt cheek. “I will fuck this pussy when I am—” he slapped the other cheek, “—damn—” another, “—good—” one more on each side. She arched her back farther, crying out when each slap landed. “And ready.” Grabbing his dick, Ryan positi
oned himself at her entrance and slid fully inside her with one thrust.

  Maiya’s ass cheeks burned with a delicious sting from the spanking he’d delivered. Her clit pulsed hard when he landed each hit. She was on the verge of orgasm when his thickness filled her.

  Warm.

  Satin.

  Uh, oh.

  “Baby…I got so caught up.” Ryan sounded horrified. He was stock still, holding her hips firm in his hands.

  He hadn’t put on a condom. The muscles inside her channel clenched around him and she let out a moan. “It’s okay, birth control pills.”

  “Jesus, you feel—”

  She gripped the blankets, desperate to feel him move inside her. They were skin to skin; no condom to protect them. Pregnancy wasn’t a concern. They’d talk about it after. “Ryan. I need you.”

  He pulled his hips back and slid deep again. Yanked from her thoughts, she sucked in a hard breath. The rub of his bare skin in her channel sent tremors through her limbs.

  Ryan leaned forward and licked up her back again. “So tight and warm.” He pumped his hips, gliding in and out of her in long, deliberate strokes. “I knew you’d feel this amazing wrapped around me.”

  Maiya widened her legs farther, opening herself for him. “Fuck, you feel so good.”

  Gasping, Ryan sped up his strokes. His pelvis slapped into her ass and she cried out, uncaring how loud she was being. “Mine.”

  Her walls clenched down on him again and her orgasm rushed to the surface. Reaching between her legs, Maiya rubbed her clit. “I want to come, babe.”

  “Not yet.”

  Reaching farther back, she cupped his sac, massaging it. “Then fuck me harder.”

  “You’re such a bad girl tonight.” He leaned over her, blanketing her with his body and rewarded her with what she wanted. Ryan banged into her and her grip slid from his scrotum.

  Maiya rubbed her clit again. “Fuck your cock slut, Ryan.”

  “Oh my God, Maiya.” He groaned and bit down hard on her shoulder.

  “Ryan!” The feel of his teeth in her flesh brought her orgasm forward. It slammed into her, wild and fierce. Her channel clamped down, squeezing him with each pulse. “Inside me,” she panted. “Finish inside me.”

  Thrusting two more times, Ryan gripped her hips hard and hollered her name. His cock jerked, spurting deep within her. Resting his forehead on her shoulder, he sucked in ragged breaths.

  Maiya froze, barely breathing while the overwhelming sensations of Ryan’s orgasm echoed through her core. After a long moment, she moaned and slid flat on the bed. He remained on top and inside her—his weight a comfort, bringing her back to her body. Ryan rolled to the side but kept one leg draped over the backs of hers. Remaining on her stomach, Maiya turned her head to face him.

  Ryan pushed her hair from her face and then drew his fingers down her back. “You’re all sticky.”

  She smiled, sated and ready to fall asleep. “Mmm. I bet.”

  Ryan got up and then returned a moment later with a wet washcloth. The cloth was warm against her skin as he wiped the stickiness away. Maiya didn’t want to think about anything more than how she felt right then. Especially that they hadn’t used a condom. He’d always been prepared when they were together before and she hoped to hell he was clean.

  Pushing the thoughts away, she shifted closer to Ryan. His sweet breath was warm on her cheek, his hands gentle and soothing on her back. He murmured something she couldn’t decipher.

  Sleep took her instead.

  “I’m keeping you,” Ryan mumbled when her breaths became soft and even, knowing she wouldn’t hear him.

  Setting the washcloth aside, he lay next her, watching her sleep. He trailed his fingertips up and down her back, tracing her tattoos. Taking her from behind had been unbelievable. Watching the designs flex and move while her body shifted and writhed proved to be the most erotic experience of his life.

  She had the tiniest waist that flared into full hips and an incredible heart-shaped ass. Bared before him, it was almost painful to look at her and realize she was his. Smart and funny and bitchy and sexy—damn, she was sexy.

  Problem was, he’d been too chicken to make her his. Officially his, anyway. He still worried about Jacob. What she would think of being with a man who already had a kid? If Jacob didn’t like her once he got to know her, or if it didn’t work between them, Jacob could get hurt.

  So many ifs.

  Ryan didn’t have the answers. Stupid, and he knew it was, he wished someone could tell him what would happen so he could make a decision one way or the other. Pulling her closer, he cradled her warm body. He’d talk to Jimmy about it tomorrow while they were at the zoo with Jacob. His brother would tell him he was being an ass again, but he just needed to be sure.

  Ryan had slept about five hours by the time light shone through the hotel room window. He’d roused at some point and made love to her again in the middle of the night. Keeping it soft and slow. Intimate.

  Maiya lay curled on her side, her ass tucked against his groin. Kissing her shoulder, he rose from the bed in search of his clothes. After locating them, he dressed in silence.

  She’d burrowed farther under the blankets, still sound asleep. Taking a seat on the edge next to her, he pulled the blanket down, drew a lock of her red hair away from her face and kissed her cheek.

  She stirred and opened her eyes. “Are you leaving?”

  “I’ve got a date with my brother and Jacob at the zoo in a couple of hours.”

  She rolled to her back. “Aw, that’s sweet. I love the zoo.”

  “Do you?”

  Maiya sat up and clutched the sheet to her chest. “Yeah, I mean, who doesn’t love the zoo?”

  “It’ll be a good day. The weather should be cool enough.” He stroked a finger down her nose to the tip.

  “Yeah.” Her brow furrowed. “Have fun.”

  He smoothed the lines on her forehead with his thumb. “I’ll call you later, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  Ryan headed for the door, but then turned back to her. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, fine. I’m going to get a little more sleep.” She smiled, but he could tell it was forced. “Have fun,” she repeated.

  “Babe. I…I just—”

  “Don’t.” She held up her hand. “Go have fun with your family.” Turning away from him, she fluffed her pillow and then lay back down.

  Damn. He’d hurt her again. “Okay. I’ll text you later.” Not wanting to be any more of an asshole, Ryan left the room.

  Ryan pushed the down button for the elevator. Some time was all he needed to settle the emotions and fears continuing to dog him. Grow some balls. After today, he’d get past his issues or leave her alone.

  He didn’t want to hurt her. He didn’t want to hurt anyone.

  Unable to get comfortable, Maiya tossed and turned in the hotel bed. But how could she with a mountain of hurt feelings stealing all her comfort. He doesn’t want me around his kid. Fucking fabulous. It stung. A lot. And dammit, she didn’t want it to.

  She was plenty good enough to screw. Plenty good enough to dress up and take to dinner and a show. But not good enough for his family. For his son.

  Fine. Whatever. Throwing off the covers, Maiya headed for the shower. She wasn’t about to let it get to her. She’d wash him off her body, and right the hell out of her heart in the process.

  Hot water rained over her face and chest, and Maiya gave in, allowing herself to cry for a few minutes. The tears released some tension and the warm water soothed her aching muscles. As usual, she was deliciously sore in all the right places. The memory of his body and the dirty words he used played through her mind, and instant lust swirled in her belly. Maiya cursed her body and finished scrubbing the last remnants of their night off her skin.

  Once she’d got
ten herself cleaned up and ready to face the world, she scooped up her phone and called Jodi.

  “Meet me at the coffee shop.” The sound of Jodi starting her car echoed in the background. “I’m heading there now. No kids. Adult girls day only.”

  “All right. Maybe we can get toes done too?”

  “Oh, hell yes. See you in a few.”

  Maiya left her hotel room. She could do this. No problem. Yep. Lying to yourself isn’t a good thing, girl. For the love of all things holy, she wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all herself.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Bubbles swirled around Maiya’s feet in the hot water at the nail salon and she wiggled her toes. “I’m going to stop seeing him. I think.”

  “That’s the fourth time you’ve said that since we’ve been out today.”

  “I’m serious, Jodi.”

  “Yeah, I hear you. But, um…who are you trying to convince exactly, me or you?”

  Maiya glared at Jodi and then rolled her eyes. “I am serious.”

  “So am I, girl. When did you pick up so many issues?”

  The man working on Jodi’s feet murmured something to the nail tech next to him that Maiya couldn’t hear. “When in the hell did you think I didn’t already have issues?” Maiya tucked a hair behind her ear. “Shit, girl. I’m all fucked up. Sorry to blow the image to bits.”

  A woman walked by with her young daughter in tow and shot Maiya a look. Ah, hell. Maiya cringed, realizing her colorful language.

  “Can’t you let things be easy? You worry too much.” The nail tech rubbed Jodi’s calf and her friend moaned. “The sex is good. You get along… Well, you get along in a weird way, but still, it works. Stop complicating it.”

  “I’m not.” The smell of the nail chemicals tickled her nose and she sneezed. “Okay, maybe I am. It’s confusing, Jodi.” Her friend raised a single perfect brow. “He pulls me close and says all these wonderful things, but then he doesn’t want me around his kid. What the fuck am I supposed to think?”