After the Hurt

by Shana Gray

“I know what you want, my fingers in your pussy. On your clit. You want me to make you come.” He nuzzled her ear and continued with the suggestive words only she could hear. “Tell me that’s what you want.”

  “Y-yes. I do.” But it wasn’t just that. Not just the release; she wanted him. He had to understand that.

  “I want to hear you say it.” He told her.

  “Fuck me with your fingers”—she grasped his chin with her hand and turned his face so she could look at him—“if I can’t have your cock right now.” She closed her eyes a moment to gain control of her thoughts when she felt his hand push between her thighs. “Tank, it’s important you know. It’s you I want, not just…this. You.”

  His great body trembled. Had it been because of her words? She was joyous if that were the case. She knew he was just as turned on as she and she was almost incapable of any kind of control. Pepper reclined in a quaking heap. Her muscles weak yet strung taut like elastic being stretched to the limit before snapping. Pepper nearly jumped out of her skin when his fingers curled against the fabric of her jeans, finding her swollen heat.

  If only I’d worn a skirt.

  —

  Tank wasn’t deterred by a piece of fabric and made short work of the snap and zipper. His cock strained against his jeans and he forced himself to ignore the building pressure. This was for Pepper. Just for her. He was glad for the privacy in the booth and silently thanked whoever dropped the curtain. It wasn’t the first time they’d had sex or played in public, but no way would he fuck her here. He didn’t want to just have sex with her, he wanted to make love to her. Like he’d told her. Only he’d show her later.

  Knowing how vocal she could be, he pulled her tight, gently pressing her face into his chest, hoping to muffle her moans. Pepper’s satiny flesh quivered as he ran the backs of his fingers over her now bare belly, and lower. She gasped and her breath seared him through his shirt. He bit back a groan as his fingers slipped over her mound, knowing the soft curls of her ginger hair would be trimmed neat. He followed the slender, silky path…and found her stiffened clitoris. It was all he could do not to groan as he pressed gently. Tank smiled when she held her breath, and thrust her hips forward to greet the pressure of his touch.

  “You want more of this?” he murmured in her ear. “I know you’re hot and ready. Just how I like you.”

  She nodded, clutching at his arm, her fingers tightening in rhythmic clasps. He didn’t mind the pain; it grounded him and dulled his own need. But only slightly. It wouldn’t take much longer until she exploded in his arms with a shuddering orgasm.

  He separated his fingers, letting her hard nub slide between them, and she opened, giving him full access. He gently squeezed his fingers together, catching her clit between them. Rubbing and sliding his hand over her hot, wet flesh, he held his breath, near to bursting himself. He needed pain to keep himself under control so he bit down on his lip. Her pleasure was more important than his and when she bucked off the seat, he smiled.

  Tank glanced around quickly to see if they had captured any attention. All clear. Even at this awkward angle, he was able to push his fingers inside her, finding her G-spot, and fuck her until she came apart in his arms. Her head fell back, eyes wide, staring at him. He pressed his lips to hers and swallowed her cry of pleasure. It was all he could do to keep himself in check, and he embraced her tightly.

  Goddamn! Nothing was better than Pepper coming in his arms. Slowly her body calmed and she sagged beside him, taking quick little gasps of air. He smiled and pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes with his finger. Passion still simmered in the violet depths.

  “Wow. Wasn’t quite expecting that.” Her voice faltered as she caught her breath.

  “I aim to please.” He dipped his head and claimed her lips, enjoying the slight quiver before sitting back and tucking closer next to him.

  He reached for his glass and nearly choked when her hand dropped in his lap. “Hey, careful now.”

  “Aww, that’s not fair.” She rubbed him through the fabric.

  “Ah, why don’t we hang on a minute?” He removed her hand.

  She was insistent and whispered in his ear. “I want you ready for a wild night. And Mr. Hefty here won’t last long unless he gets some relief.”

  “You do have a point.” Tank had to agree and knew his voice sounded strained. He didn’t argue when she freed him and grasped him tightly with both hands. Her fingers were so cool and firm on him. He was swept away by her touch. He grabbed a bunch of napkins off the table, ready to play catcher.

  She whispered into his ear and his mind filled with the crooning of her sultry voice. The band faded away and his gaze drifted to the stage. The burlesque dancer began her provocative show. He stared at her seductive peekaboo fan dance while Pepper stroked him, bringing him closer with every squeeze and twist as she continued to murmur to him. He realized having her hands back on him and being in his life was what he’d wanted all along. Closing his eyes, he let images of them making love on the couch at their bar fill his mind. He groaned and his balls tightened.

  “I love how big and hard you are. I wish you were inside me right now.”

  “Pepper…,” he growled.

  “Come for me, baby. I want to see you come.”

  He silenced, holding his breath. Everything suspended in time for the briefest moment as release slipped down his spine and settled in his hips. He fumbled with the napkins, getting them in place just as Pepper slid her hands up his cock and squeezed the tip. He was about to explode and she stalled his orgasm with that simple little movement.

  He opened his eyes and watched the girl on the stage, her breasts bouncing, the tips covered with golden pasties. Her red hair, just like Pepper’s, swayed around her shoulders, and it wasn’t the dancer he saw, it was Pepper. It was easy to imagine her dancing for him and that sent him over. He came with a charge and ground his teeth together trying to keep his body from jerking uncontrollably.

  Pepper’s husky laugh and firm grip on him, drew his orgasm out a few more beats and then he was spent. A rush of air exploded from him just as the last beats of the drum crashed through the restaurant.

  Chapter 17

  They fell out of the taxi into the frigid air, laughing their heads off. So far it had been the best night and she hoped it would get a whole lot better. Their warm breaths puffed in clouds as she scrambled behind him across the sidewalk. He had her hand firmly gripped in his as he pulled her through the front doors into Octagon. It was cacophony inside. The dueling pianos in the other room had the crowd in a frenzy.

  “Check it out,” Tank shouted and led her to the doorway. It was even louder in the piano bar. “Just like Vegas.”

  “I know.” She could barely hear herself over the din. “Come on, why not join in?”

  They searched for seats, not bothering to try to talk. There was no use. The crowd was in a wild party mood. They tucked themselves into a corner and stood by the window and watched the different groups competing. The pianists were good. Just as good as the two who’d played in Vegas. And the crowd was in a similar state of excitement, hooting and singing at the top of their voices.

  Tank had done a fantastic job re-creating the atmosphere. She turned to look at him. His attention was on the pianos and she let her gaze crawl over him. God, he was gorgeous, smart, handsome, sexy. He didn’t even have to try; it just exuded from him. His stance, mannerisms, the way he held his head as he nodded to the tunes. His confidence was captivating and Pepper’s heart beat double-time for him. She was still aroused, her body humming with excitement only he was able to garner. She shivered, thinking of what was to come.

  He glanced at her. Time slowed down. She was sucked into his magnetism and when his mouth turned up on one side in a crooked grin, her belly fluttered. Pepper placed a palm on the wall to steady herself; her legs suddenly felt like spaghetti. He winked and that simple move was her undoing. It was all she could do to keep standing and not melt at his feet. Pepper lean
ed into him, rubbing on him lightly. If she were a cat, she’d be purring.

  Pepper turned her face to him, then bent lower, anticipating a kiss. Instead he spoke into her ear, “What do you say we get out of here.”

  It wasn’t a question, it was a statement, and the tone of his voice told her all she needed to know. She smiled at him, and when Tank waggled his eyebrows, Pepper knew she was correct. He meant: upstairs. Now. In bed. She nodded and took his hand. They wove through the crush of people roaring out the words to “Sweet Caroline” when a prickle of alarm tingled down the back of her neck. It was the same peculiar sensation she’d had before and she felt like they were being watched.

  Pepper glanced behind them as they passed through the doorway. Her gaze took in the bouncing crowd, laughing and drinking and having a great time. Nothing seemed amiss. No bad guys lurking in the corners or across the street. She paused, hoping the sea of people would part and let her see past the bodies to anyone hiding. Nothing, and Tank tugged her. Pepper shivered and shrugged it off. She was just imagining things, but she held on to Tank’s hand a little tighter. She followed him through the restaurant and up the private stairs. But she couldn’t shake the lingering feeling of unease.

  “Hurry! What’s taking you so long?” Pepper was bursting with impatience and she wanted to shed the pall that dropped over her downstairs. He was taking way too long to light the fire while she dimmed the lights and lit candles.

  “Hold your horses, now. We want the right ambience, don’t we?”

  “Uh-uh.” Pepper wandered over to the sound system and chose the perfect tune from a playlist on his iPod. Sultry crooning sounds of Sinatra filled the room. The music crept into her soul and she swayed to it. Tank finished with the fire and stood. Pepper watched Tank watch her and she held her hands out, wiggling her fingers, hoping to encourage him to join her. He didn’t mind dancing now and then, and she smiled when he accepted her invitation. His strong hand slid around to cup her bottom and pulled her roughly against him, his erection even and insistent next to her belly. Pepper tipped back her head and laughed.

  I’m so happy!

  He thrust a leg between her thighs and pulled her tight until their bodies fused from shoulder to knee. Pepper gripped his thigh between hers and they rocked their hips in time to the seductive music. She buried her face in his neck and inhaled his scent, her body moving in time with his as if they were an extension of each other.

  Contentment swelled in her breast, a feeling she hadn’t felt in so long. The immense pleasure of being wrapped up in him gave her sweet pleasure. Pepper wound her arms around his shoulders, splaying her fingers at the back of his neck. His nearness intoxicated her into a passion-hazed stupor. She pressed herself onto his muscled thigh and moaned into his neck as waves of yearning washed through her body. He sashayed her over to the fireplace and gently let her go.

  “Wha–”

  “Relax, devil woman. I need to stoke the fire.” Before stepping away from her he planted a kiss on her lips, a sensual, long, delightful one that got their tongues into play and promised of untold sexual delight.

  She watched every move he made as he leaned over and tended the fire. Pepper swallowed, loving how perfectly his jeans showcased his to-die-for ass. Her fingers twitched and she had to touch him. She couldn’t not. Pepper came up behind him and placed her palms on his solidly muscled ass cheeks. At last she was touching him. It had been far too long and her fingers hadn’t forgotten how he felt. His muscles quivered a little, but it didn’t deter her from sliding her hands over his hips and around to the front. She cupped him, cradling him through the jeans. Pepper leaned over his back and let out a long, contented sigh.

  “You feel so good,” she murmured against the power of his back, “and I thought you already had a fire burning.”

  He stood and turned quickly, catching her in his arms. “Did you ever doubt that?”

  He loomed over her and caught her lips again; this time the kiss wasn’t as gentle. She reveled in the explosive expression of his need and answered his urgency from a place deep inside her. Pepper lit up with a fiery passion that only Tank could ignite.

  When he pushed her away lightly, Pepper was momentarily alarmed, wondering why he didn’t hold her tighter.

  “Go get comfortable while I get this going. There’s wine in the refrigerator.” His chest expanded impressively as he drew in a deep breath. The room seemed to vibrate with his sheer, male power. His mere presence mesmerized Pepper. She filled with happiness, so thrilled to finally be here with him. Just the two of them.

  Her heart pounded and her blood raced. It was the age-old mating game they were playing. The sexual tension, the buildup with intimacy and sex as the ultimate reward. But she didn’t want just sex with him. She wanted to make love. She wanted so much more. A future together, the business. He was sending her all the signals. But a little niggling doubt was in the back of her mind. Oh, how she wanted to go further, get back to where they had once been.

  Even with that dark cloud suddenly appearing overhead, Pepper tried to remain positive about the direction they were going in. In the kitchen she opened the wine refrigerator, feeling sensual from the music, sexy because she was with Tank. She bent over with her bottom in the air, swaying her hips to the tunes and humming along to the sultry beat. There were so many vintage bottles it was hard to choose.

  “Ah! His favorite.” She pulled a nicely aged bottle of Barolo from the fridge. Before she could stand up, Tank gripped her from behind. Holding her hips he pulled her roughly against his groin and pumped her a few times. Absolute bliss. No surprise, he was hard. Pepper loved the feel of him searing through her clothes. All she wanted to do was rip everything off and be naked, let their skin, their bodies, remember and reconcile with each other.

  “How can I resist you with your ass sticking in the air like that?” His voice was low and gravelly, close to a growl. She could tell he was having a difficult time holding back his arousal.

  I don’t want you to hold back, my darling.

  Pepper’s fingers curled tight on the neck of the wine bottle and she pressed her knuckles on the rack, trying to steady herself from Tank’s powerful pumps. His hands spanned her hips, holding, demanding, and firm. She closed her eyes and let the imagery sweep her away. All she could see was both of them naked and sliding together on the sheets, filling each other’s lonely hearts with life. All over again. She craved to be filled by him in every way. To feel him deep, deep inside. If he didn’t have such a tight grip on her, she would have twisted in his arms to face him.

  Tank pressed tight to her and slid his hands around to her belly. Pepper hung in his arms, the bottle dangling limply from her fingers, waiting to see what he would do next. He pulled her to standing, her back flush against his chest. His hands splayed over her belly and slid up to cradle her breasts. Pepper’s knees buckled. The roughness of his pumping moments before, and now his touch filled with gentleness, was excruciating heaven. His fingers whispered over her flesh, raising a trail of goose bumps in their wake. When he reached her nipples, she held her breath as he momentarily paused before rubbing lightly across them, sensitizing them to aching, tight tips.

  He groaned into her ear and she turned her head, seeking his mouth, but it was her turn to moan when he plucked her nipples with his fingers. Her inner muscles pulsed and her belly tightened, building the tension to near agony. She held her breath when his other hand crept down to the apex of her thighs.

  “Oh my God, Tank. You’re killing me.” She moaned and licked her lips.

  He nuzzled her neck, shivers of delight radiating from his touch and fanned out along her jawline and up into her scalp. Thank God he held her because she was quite sure her legs wouldn’t hold her upright; she quaked like a virgin in his arms. Her fingers went slack and the wine bottle thudded to the wooden floor. She heard it roll away. Pepper reached up and locked her fingers behind his head, keeping him pinned to her, and rotated her hips against his erection.
He cupped her heat through the jeans while his cock demanded attention from behind.

  “Tank. Let’s…” She forgot what she was going to say when he caught her earlobe between his lips and sucked. He flicked his tongue lightly along the rim of her ear.

  “Let’s what?”

  “Umm…I don’t remember.” How could she think clearly when he was assaulting her like this?

  Pepper twisted in his embrace until they faced each other and snaked her arms around his neck. Tank gripped her ass and squeezed tight, pulling her against him, and lifted her onto the granite countertop. He skimmed his hands up her sides, bunching her top around her shoulders.

  “Lift.”

  Doing as she was told, Pepper lifted her arms above her head. The air in the kitchen was chilled, and her exposed nipples puckered to almost painful points. She pushed her chest out, hoping, wanting his warm, wet mouth on them, and she shimmied her shoulders a little to entice him.

  “Are you trying to distract me?”

  “Maybe,” Pepper panted.

  “You’re doing a damn fine job, woman.” His head dipped and, without any preamble, his mouth fused over a sensitive tip.

  Pepper arched her back with a cry and clutched at his shoulders.

  It was like her nipple was connected with a live wire to her clitoris. A racing wave of longing slipped like hot honey through her veins, along her flesh to settle in her pussy. She dropped her gaze to him, watching as he suckled her. She moaned when he let the nipple pop out of his mouth. He glanced up at her and smiled. Butterflies went crazy in her stomach when he reached the tip of his tongue out to touch the stiff peak. She moved a tiny little bit to meet him. But rather than give that nipple attention, he kissed his way over to the other one. Every nerve ending sang to life and all sense of space and time diminished as she was reduced to pure sensation when he found it.

  Pepper was desperate to get out of her jeans; she struggled with the zipper, but the position she was in made it near impossible to undress so she did the next best thing. Wrapped her legs around his hips, hooked her heels on his ass, and pulled him closer. How glorious it was to finally feel the hard length of him touching her so intimately. Where he belonged.