by Parker, Ali
“Damn,” I breathed, raking my eyes over his body.
It was just as I thought. Owen was a hell of a lot more man than he’d been seven years ago. And even then, I’d thought he was man enough.
His shoulders were broad and swollen. His arms were thick and chiseled with defined muscle. Veins stood to attention along the inside of his forearms and wrapped around to the back of his hands. He had the same tattoo I remembered: the half sleeve on his left bicep and tricep. But there was also a new one on his right shoulder. A skull and the words “Lost Breed”.
He was hot as hell, and my body couldn’t wait anymore.
“Turn around,” he said hoarsely.
I did as I was told and turned. I arched my back for him as I leaned on the counter and went to the tips of my toes to give him the best view of my pussy and my ass.
He tore the condom wrapper open, and I looked back at him over my shoulder as he rolled it on. “I still like it hard, baby,” I told him.
He took me by the hips, stepped in close, and eased his cock inside me. “Some things never change,” he growled.
From there, I tossed conscious thought to the wind, and I let him carry me away on an adventure of pleasure. He filled me up with each deep thrust, and his pace quickened steadily, building up to a rhythm that had me biting down on my tongue to stop myself from screaming.
But that trick had a shelf life.
I let out a muffled cry of pleasure when he slapped my ass.
Things intensified when he lifted my left leg and held it up on the counter, forcing me to bend it at the knee. He managed to drive his cock even deeper into my pussy, and I reached for something I could grab onto.
There was nothing but smooth countertops.
Owen grabbed the base of my braid in one hand and pulled me up. I moaned, loving how much control he craved, and found myself staring up at him as he leaned over me. I gazed into his eyes, and he stared back while he fucked me until I couldn’t keep it together anymore.
I screamed his name.
Owen bucked wildly against me as I came. My legs trembled so fiercely that he had to hold me up to stop me from toppling over. He kept driving into me, hard and deep, and I descended into sinful madness as he pushed me down flat on the counter and rode me until he found his own release.
Then he pressed kisses to my back and squeezed my ass gently.
I stayed where I was. The cool counter felt good against my cheek, breasts, and stomach.
“You’re still the best I’ve ever had,” I said, my voice thin from screaming.
Owen’s deep chuckle vibrated through me as he cupped my pussy in one hand. “That’s what I like to hear. I hope you’re not done with me already, Angel. This was just a warm up to remind you what you’ve been missing.”
I almost came a second time just from his words.
Chapter 11
Owen
Waking up in Evangeline’s penthouse was like waking up in a guest suite at the Queen’s palace in England.
Well, maybe it wasn’t that lavish, but it was close enough in my mind.
It smelled like fresh lavender and sage when I opened my eyes and found myself staring up at Evangeline’s bedroom ceiling. The lights were off, but sunshine streamed in through the sheer white curtains on the massive windows on the south wall of the bedroom. I squinted against the brightness and raised my hand to shield my eyes as I turned toward the sun and Evangeline’s side of the bed.
She wasn’t there.
I strained my ears, listening to see if she might be in the bathroom having a shower. But there was only silence.
So I rolled out of bed with a sleepy groan, rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands, and peered around in search of my clothes, which were nowhere to be seen. I did find a white bathrobe draped over the chair on the other side of my nightstand, however, and it seemed as if it had been intentionally placed there for me to find.
I chuckled to myself and shook my head.
This reminded me of how things used to be with me and Evangeline.
She loved to share her wealth and the luxuries it afforded her. She’d probably tucked my clothes away to force me into putting the robe on.
I shrugged it over my shoulders and tied it around my waist before heading to the bathroom to take a leak. Then I made my way down the long hall from the sleeping quarters of the penthouse to the living area. I crossed the living room, and then the dining room, and then found myself coming around the corner to the kitchen to see Evangeline standing at the island pouring mimosas.
“What on earth are you up to?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.
She let out a startled yelp when she heard me and nearly spilled orange juice all over the place. She set the jug and the bottle of champagne down. “I thought I would fix us a little morning beverage. Do you have plans for the rest of your day? Anywhere you need to be?”
I folded my arms over my chest. “No. Why?”
She shrugged one slender shoulder.
She, too, was wearing a white robe that matched mine. She had it loosely tied, and the collar had fallen open, exposing her chest and her cleavage and a bit of her rib cage. She looked beautiful as always. Her hair was down and wavy, and she had very clearly brushed it this morning. It hadn’t looked that smooth when I was done with her around three in the morning. It had been a chaotic tangled mess with pieces jutting out all over the place.
Evangeline finished pouring the drinks into slim champagne flutes made of what I assumed was crystal, and then she walked around the island to hand me my glass. She was barefoot and had no makeup on.
This was my favorite state of Evangeline Snow. Natural. Pure. And smiling at me.
“Can we spend the day together?” she asked.
“On one condition.”
“Name it.” She smiled.
I tugged at the collar of my robe. “I don’t have to take this off and put real clothes on.”
She giggled. “An easy condition to abide by. Cheers.”
I sipped my mimosa and enjoyed the citrus flavor combined with the dry bubbles of the champagne. Evangeline took my hand and led me back around the kitchen island to the counter by the sink, where she had cut up a plate of fresh fruit: watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, apples, kiwi. She picked up the plate. “Let’s sit outside. It’s a nice morning. We can put our feet in the pool.”
I followed her out onto the balcony and pulled the doors closed behind us before joining her at the edge of the pool. She sat with her feet in the water and her robe slightly open, exposing a hell of a lot of bare thighs. Then she leaned over the plate she’d set down between us and plucked a strawberry from the assortment to pop it in her mouth. Evangeline chewed gracefully, nodding her approval of the sweet berry.
I helped myself to some fruit too before leaning back on my hands. “You realize you’re wasting all this shit on me, right?”
She smiled. “No, I’m not. You could use it. Let me rephrase. You deserve it. You’ve had a rough go over the last while, and I wanted to do something nice for you.”
I studied her as she gazed out across the pool.
Her lashes were long and cast shadows over her high cheekbones as the sun started creeping higher in the sky. She looked down at the water around her ankles, and the shadows lengthened.
Somehow, she had gotten even more beautiful over the years.
“Thank you,” I said.
She turned toward me and flashed a white smile. “You’re welcome.”
I sighed and turned my face up to the sun, closing my eyes. “Tell me something, Angel.”
“Anything.”
“What made you throw in the towel with us?”
She hesitated.
I chuckled. “I’m not trying to put you on the spot. And I’m not looking for an answer that will make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I just want to know. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it over the years, and I figure we’re in a place now where we don’t need to pretend a
nymore. Aren’t we?”
She licked her lips and then nodded. “I suppose you’re right. I… I never wanted to end things with you, Owen. But it became about more than just you and me, and I had to make a choice. You or my father.”
It was the answer I’d been expecting. “It makes sense.”
Evangeline gazed back out at the pool and gently swung her legs in the water. It lapped at the edges and fanned outward. “I think it made sense at the time. But now? Now, I feel like it was a mistake. I showed weakness. I compromised what I wanted to make things easier for someone else.”
“Someone you love. Your dad only wanted—”
“What was best for me. Yeah. I know. But who is he to determine what’s best for me?” Her blue eyes swept up to me, and her intense stare held me in place. “Who is he to tell me that you were the wrong choice? That you would hurt me? You’ve never hurt me, Owen. Never. The only hurt I ever experienced in your regard was when things ended between us.”
I waited a beat before speaking. “Did your dad know how we felt about each other?”
She shrugged. “To be honest? I have no idea. And even if he had, I don’t think it would have made much of a difference.” She laughed and shook her head. “If he’d have known I was in love with a bad boy biker like you, he would have had a heart attack.”
My breath caught in my throat, and my skin tingled. “In love?”
Evangeline’s eyes widened, and her cheeks turned a furious shade of pink. Her mouth opened and closed as she worked to try to find something to say. No words were coming.
I grinned. “Damn. Who’d have thought the sophisticated Evangeline Snow could ever love a schmuck like me, hey?”
“You’re not a schmuck,” she said hurriedly. “Besides, I was young. I didn’t know what love was. But at the time, that’s what it felt like.”
“Have you felt that way again since?”
Evangeline looked right at me. Her eyes reflected the still surface of the pool and appeared even bluer than usual. “No. No, I haven’t.”
“Me neither.”
We stared at each other for what felt like a very long minute. Then she dropped her gaze to the plate between us and picked up a piece of cantaloupe. She popped it in her mouth, chewed, and went back for another piece.
I wasn’t sure if she was doing it for a distraction or if she actually wanted to eat.
“Can I ask you something else, Angel?”
She nodded. “Sure. Why not? This is going swimmingly for me so far.”
I chuckled softly and rubbed the back of my neck. “Forgive me. These are things I have wondered for a very long time.”
“I understand. Ask your question.”
“Do you still care what your daddy thinks about the men you choose to spend your time with?”
Evangeline chewed the inside of her cheek. “I know what answer you’re after, Owen.”
I didn’t say anything.
She sighed. “And I don’t think it’s as simple as a yes or no answer. I’d like to tell you I don’t care. I really would. But I don’t know if that’s true. My father is a good man. And I am so grateful for him. And I want him to be proud of me and happy for me. But most of all, I want him to know I am safe, so he doesn’t have to worry himself over me. Does that make sense?”
Of course it did.
If Frank Snow found out she was in love with me and that she’d chosen me, he would fear the worst for his daughter on all fronts. Her reputation would be at stake and, in his mind, so would her safety and her character. I could compromise her. Soil her.
Ruin her.
“It makes sense, Angel,” I said.
Suddenly, the bathrobe over my shoulders didn’t feel so luxurious. It felt like a wall between me and Evangeline. All this swanky shit was what was keeping us apart, and it was just a reminder of all the obstacles in our way.
I untied the robe, shrugged it off, and slipped off the edge of the pool to plunge under the surface. When I emerged, Evangeline was laughing at me and had inched closer to the edge. “What are you doing?”
“It seemed a shame to let a perfectly good pool go to waste like this. Especially on such a nice morning. The good weather will be gone soon. Join me.”
Evangeline gave me a crooked smile and shook her head. Then she spread her legs a bit, tucking one flap of her robe over her thigh for modesty’s sake, and beckoned me to come closer.
I stood between her knees, and she picked up a strawberry and put it in my mouth. Then she took my face in her hands and leaned over to kiss me.
I pulled the sash of her robe apart, pushed it open, and pulled it down her shoulders. She slipped out of it and into my arms, and I lowered her into the water, where I pinned her against the edge of the pool and ravished her with kisses.
Kisses that would make her old man keel over with rage and terror.
Chapter 12
Evangeline
I met Victoria for lunch at a posh salad bar only a few blocks from my apartment building. She was already there when I arrived, sitting at a table by the window and sipping on an ice water with a lemon wedge on the rim. She waved me over when she spotted me at the door.
I wove through the tables, and she popped up to her feet to give me a hug.
“You look great,” she said, standing back and nodding at my shoes. They were new royal-blue suede pumps with a thin gold heel, and they went well with my all-white ensemble. “Those shoes are killer.”
“Thank you,” I said, shrugging out of my thin white coat. I draped it over the back of my chair, along with my purse, before taking a seat and tucking into the table. “You look good, too. New lip color?”
Victoria nodded. “You like? I thought you might. It’s not released yet, but the company sent me a box of their samples. I can bring some for you next time we see each other.”
“Sure,” I said, not one to ever turn down free makeup samples. I flipped open my menu and scanned the options, even though I knew every dish they offered. Victoria and I came here on an almost weekly basis and, for the most part, we always ordered the same thing. “Do you know what you’re getting?”
“Of course I do,” Victoria chimed.
“Let me guess,” I said, running my finger down the page until it landed on the salad she always ordered. “The Mexican mix. Add chicken, grilled not breaded, extra avocado, no tomatoes?”
She giggled. “You know me too well.”
“You’re predictable.”
“Oh, like you aren’t?”
I shrugged. “I think I might order something new today. I’m feeling adventurous.”
“Really? What brought that on?”
“Nothing,” I said innocently. “I just want to dabble in some new flavors.”
Victoria watched me suspiciously as I read the menu and opted for a salad with beets, goat cheese, vinaigrette dressing, and red onions. The selling feature was the candied pecans. Then I closed the menu, folded my arms on the table, and gave Victoria all of my attention.
“So what’s new with you?” I asked.
Victoria pursed her lips in thought. “Not much, to be honest. Same old stuff, although I did get a chance to talk to Sammy on the phone last night, and he told me all about this new girl he’s been seeing in Dubai. And I must say, she sounds pretty fantastic.”
“Yeah? Where is she from?”
“She’s an Emirate. Born and raised in Dubai. She works as a tour guide and loves her job and has been doing it for ten years.”
Victoria had to cease telling me all about Sammy’s new lover when the waitress came to our table to take our orders. Once she left, Victoria went right back into telling me all about this woman Sammy was obsessed with.
Within about three minutes, my mind started to wander.
At first, I thought about how badly I wanted my salad because I was hungry as hell. Then, after I drank some water, the hunger pains subsided, and I started thinking about other things.
Things like my morning in the
pool with Owen yesterday.
Or the night we’d had leading up to said morning in the pool.
Or the afternoon we had after the pool.
When I really thought about it, I could almost feel the warm press of his lips on mine. I could feel his hands on my hips, strong and demanding and putting me where he wanted me. I could feel his breath on my neck, feel the swell of his—
“Eva?”
I looked up at Victoria. “Yes?”
“Are you even listening to me?”
“Erm.”
Victoria narrowed her eyes. “I’ve been talking for like fifteen minutes, and you haven’t said a word. Are you okay? You look like you were totally zoned out.”
“Sorry, Victoria. I was just a little distracted.”
“By what?”
“Nothing,” I said a little too quickly. “Just stuff.”
“Boy stuff?”
“What makes you say that?”
“Oooh,” she said, clapping her hands together and leaning closer to me over the table. “It is boy stuff, isn’t it? Is this about that Matthew guy from the party? Has something happened between you two? Oh my God.” She gasped. “Did you two hook up?”
I shook my head. “No. No, I did not hook up with Matthew.”
Victoria studied me like I was a bundle of Christmas lights she had to untangle. Then she pressed her index finger to her chin. “Hmm. But you are glowing. And that blank expression suggests you were fantasizing about something. Something yummy. Spill the beans, woman.”
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling as I leaned forward too. “Do you remember me telling you about the boy I used to date when I was younger? Owen McCully?”
Victoria still had her finger resting on her chin when she narrowed her eyes at me in consideration. “The guy in the biker gang?”
“Biker club, but yes.”
