Relentless (Nashville Nights)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “You’re still willing to let me go without a fight come morning?” she asked, staring him down.

  He smirked. “Honey, I’ve never had to beg for it a day in my life and I sure as hell ain’t gonna start now.” He pushed off the door, edging past her. “There’s the door; feel free to use it.”

  She grabbed his bicep, turning him to face her. “What’s your deal, McCall? One minute, you’re hot to get me into bed, the next you’re runnin’ cold. Do you want me or not?”

  You have no idea. “I’m not gonna lie. You’re hot. I think we could have some fun together…”

  She planted her hands on her slim hips and glared at him. “But?”

  “You sure that’s all you want, just one night?” He loomed over her, his eyes falling to her chest.

  He could see her heart was pounding, her breathing shallow, her words barely above a whisper when she finally said, “I don’t know what the hell I want from you, and that scares me.”

  He smiled, smugly. She knew what she wanted, the same thing he did; she just wasn’t ready to admit it to him or herself yet. But she would be once he forced her to face her fears. He leaned in closer. “Tell me your deepest, darkest, dirtiest fantasy.”

  Her eyes widened, and her pupils dilated. “What are you talking about? What kind of fantasy?”

  “Anything, everything…” His fingertip drifted up her arm as her eyelids fluttered. “I’m open to whatever you have in mind.”

  She sunk her teeth into her plump bottom lip, fixating on the buttons on his shirt instead of looking him in the eye. “Earlier you mentioned a threesome…”

  He didn’t know if she was baiting him just to get a reaction, but if she was, it was working. “Anything except that.”

  “I’m willing to bet you’ve done it before.” She tipped her head back. “But only with two women, huh?”

  He fisted his hands at his sides, clenching his jaw as he spit out the words, “I have no interest in sharing you with another guy tonight, if that’s what you’re gettin’ at.”

  She shrugged, looking as though she’d just proposed Sunday afternoon tea instead of no-holds-barred sex with not one, but two strange men. “You said anything goes. I just wanted to know if you were serious.”

  “Is this a fantasy you’re hell bent on livin’ out?” he asked, the question burning like acid on his tongue. Just the thought of sharing her with another man lit a fire in his belly that consumed the modicum of civility his old man had drilled into him the hard way.

  “It’s not the first time I’ve thought about it. Just haven’t met anyone who’s man enough to try it.”

  Her defiance was going to be the death of him. “I’m sick of talkin’,” he growled. He ripped his shirt open, buttons pinging off the ceramic tiles in the small foyer. He toed his boots off as her eyes followed his swift movements.

  She was getting nervous, apprehensive. She should be. She’d provoked him; now it was time for her to put up or shut up. “I, uh…”

  “What’s wrong, darlin’?” He reached for his belt buckle. “All out of smart-ass remarks?”

  She flattened her palm against his bare chest, taking a step back. “Maybe we should slow down.”

  “What if I don’t wanna slow down, sugar?” He took one, two, three steps forward, flattening her back against the door. “What if I wanna show you how a pro rides?”

  She swallowed convulsively, her hands wrapping around his wrists as he slid his heavy leather belt through the loops on his jeans. “I’m not sure…”

  He grinned, snapping the belt between his hands. “Wonderin’ what I’m gonna do with this?” He knew he was scaring her. What she didn’t know was that he’d take a lashing before he would hurt her. If she knew that, he’d be as vulnerable as she was. He’d learned one lesson in life through trial and error: never relinquish the upper hand.

  She pressed her hands into his chest. “Look, I’m not sure what your other girlfriends are into, but I like my pleasure straight up. I don’t need a shot of pain to get off.”

  He trailed his index finger down her cheek. Her skin was so soft, like velvet. It made him ache to caress the rest of her body. “Is that so? You ever tried it?”

  She shook her head.

  “How do you know you wouldn’t like it, then?” He had delivered a few well-placed smacks on the ass, at a woman’s prodding, but he didn’t get off on administering pain.

  She tipped her chin, looking him in the eye. “I’m not interested, period. You got a problem with that?”

  He loved that her sweet vulnerability was hidden behind a tough, confident exterior. It made her all the more appealing, knowing she wasn’t afraid to stand up to him. “I got no problem with that, sugar. I’m only interested in giving you pleasure. If that doesn’t do it for you, I’m cool with that.” He chuckled when she breathed a sigh of relief. “Tell me what you do want, sweetheart.”

  She glanced over his shoulder at the silk tie he’d discarded earlier. “I liked being tied up, but I want to touch you…” She slipped his shirt off, smiling. “You do have an amazing body, cowboy. Even better than I expected.”

  He grinned, reveling in the feel of her soft hands caressing his bare chest. “I could say the same, sugar.”

  “I meant it when I said I’ve thought about you a lot over the years.” A pretty pink blush crept up her neck, staining her cheeks. “You’re the one I think about when I’m…”

  He leaned in, feathering soft kisses against her jawline, cheekbone, and temple. “I know, sweetness. I thought about you too. I kept telling myself I was one sick bastard, you were too damn young, but…”

  She lifted her eyes to meet his. “Make no mistake; I’m not a little girl anymore.” She slid the tiny buttons free of their holes to reveal a silky, red demi-cup bra. “I’m all woman now, and I know what I want.”

  His palms itched with the urge to touch her. “Really? What do you want right now, darlin’?”

  “I want you.”

  He slid the soft cotton over her shoulders, placing moist kisses along her collarbone. “I want you, too.”

  “What happens between us remains between us, deal?”

  He didn’t care who knew about them. If her father wanted to give him grief, he was man enough to take it. “I don’t kiss and tell, if that’s what you’re askin’.”

  “Good.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, threading her fingers through his hair. “Just so we’re clear on that.”

  He cupped her bottom, nudging her with his arousal. “But I’m not ashamed of what we’re about to do, Nik. I’m attracted to you, and I don’t give a damn who knows it.”

  She closed her eyes, tipping her head back. “You don’t know my father. He wouldn’t be happy about this.”

  Ty told him Luc and Nikki routinely went toe-to-toe, so he knew she wasn’t afraid to stand up to her old man. It irked him to think she didn’t consider him to be worth the effort. “I know him well enough. I know he doesn’t want you to get hurt.” He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, holding her head still. “And I’d never hurt you, so I don’t see why we should have a problem.”

  She rolled her eyes. “He’d say you’re too old for me, too experienced…”

  “He’d be right.” He smiled. “A sweet young thang like you has no business with a roughneck like me.”

  She seemed offended by his choice of words. “How do you know I’m so sweet?”

  “Honey, I’ve gotten pretty good at reading women over the years. You may think you’ve been around the block a time or two, but you haven’t seen nothin’ yet…”

  She quirked an eyebrow as a smile played around her full lips. “That sounds like a threat, McCall.”

  His hands spanned her waist. She was so damn tiny his fingertips almost met at her spine. It reminded him that, despite her tough exterior, she was defenseless against a man like him. “You afraid of me, darlin’?”

  She tipped her head back to look him in the eye. “Should I be?”


  “Never.” He leaned in to kiss her gently. “I’d never hurt you, baby.”

  “I believe you,” she whispered, trailing kisses along his bristled jawline. “How’d we end up talking again? I thought you were ready to take action?”

  He was more than ready. His hands slid down to unfasten her jeans. “As sexy as they are, you’re gonna have to kick those boots off for me, sugar.”

  She braced a hand on his shoulder and reached down to slide the zippers down the inside of her calves. She carefully removed the boots and set them against the wall. Standing upright, she chuckled when she stared straight into the middle of his chest. “Okay, we may need to lie down to make this work.”

  He quickly hoisted her over his shoulder, smacking her behind soundly.

  “Hey,” she said, slapping his back. “What the hell was that for?”

  “Takin’ off on me earlier.” He threw her on the bed, making sure the pillows cushioned her head when she landed. “I didn’t appreciate your little performance with that piano player.”

  She stared up at him, amusement dancing in her eyes. “He was scared shitless of you.”

  “He had every reason to be. I thought about tearing him apart if he laid one hand on you.”

  She shook her head. “Man, you’ve got a possessive streak a Texas-mile wide, don’cha, cowboy?”

  Only with you, baby. He unfastened his jeans and shoved them down his thighs.

  She smiled when she saw his tattoo-inspired boxer briefs. “You ever think about gettin’ inked down there?”

  He laughed. “Hell no. You think I’m crazy?”

  Tongue in cheek, she asked, “Is that a trick question?”

  “You’re a sassy little thing, ain’t cha? I’m gonna have to teach you some manners.”

  She threw her arms over her head, pressing her heel into his abdomen. “You’re welcome to try, but don’t be too disappointed if you don’t have a whole lotta luck.”

  She was about to realize she had never met anyone as determined as he was.

  He tugged her jeans over her hips and down her thighs to reveal a red satin thong that ratcheted the heat in the room up by a few degrees. “Damn…”

  She smiled, as though she knew exactly what she was doing to him. “You gonna stand there staring at me all night?”

  He grinned, lifting her foot to lick a path up the inside of her calf. Kneeling on the floor at the foot of the bed, he stoked her with a series of strategically placed kisses that ended with his tongue prodding the soft fabric between her legs.

  She moaned, popping the clasp on the front of her bra.

  He looked up, suppressing a groan. Everything about her was so damn enticing; he couldn’t decide where he wanted to start.

  She crooked a finger, beckoning to him. “If you’re having trouble deciding, can I suggest you work your way down?”

  He flashed a quick grin. Damn, she was going to be hard to tame. Good thing he loved a challenge. He eased up, bracing his weight on his forearms as he leaned over her. He’d planned to go in for the kiss, but he paused, looking into her eyes. “Damn,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers.

  She brushed a strand of hair off his forehead. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” Everything. He, J.T. McCall, who’d rode some of the biggest, baddest bulls in the world, was scared stiff at what this little lady could do to him. He closed his eyes, trying to draw on the courage that prompted him to stare down death on a daily basis.

  She kissed his neck, sliding her hands up and down his back. “It’s okay, hon. Take your time. We’ve got all night.”

  Shit. Now she thought he was suffering from performance anxiety? He was screwing this up in a big way. “Baby…” How could he tell her what he was feeling without scaring her off again? He couldn’t. He’d have to show her instead.

  He nipped at her generous mouth before tracing the seam of her lips with his tongue. He finally dipped inside, trying unsuccessfully to rein in his hunger. Within seconds, she was under the influence of his kisses, moaning into his mouth, fisting his hair in her hands, wrapping her legs around his waist, as though she couldn’t get close enough.

  It was the hottest, most intense kiss he’d ever shared with a woman. This went beyond foreplay. It felt like they were both fighting this overwhelming fear of being pulled into a vortex of uncertainty.

  She finally pulled her mouth away, panting into his neck. “Now, please; I don’t wanna wait.”

  He didn’t want to wait either, but he wanted to show her that he could be the kind of lover she deserved.

  She grabbed his shoulders, looking him in the eye. “I mean it; I want you now.”

  Powerless in the face of his own need, he reached into the drawer and pulled out the box of condoms he’d stashed there earlier.

  She didn’t question why he had them, or whether he’d planned to use them with someone else.

  He almost wished she had. He needed a sign that she was feeling what he was feeling, that she intended to take this beyond tonight.

  After sheathing himself, he slid his finger between her legs. He wanted to stroke her, pleasure her, watch her come apart in his arms, but he was afraid if he took his time to delve into his fantasies right now, he’d embarrass himself.

  His eyes connected with hers as he inched his way inside of her. He knew he was probably bigger than her other lovers, based on the reaction of many of the women he’d been with. She was so petite, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

  Her eyes widened and he could see the fear and anxiety stealing her pleasure. He leaned in to kiss her again, easing her discomfort with the soft stroke of his tongue inside her mouth. He felt her relax as her tongue dueled with his, demanding more. He continued to stretch her until she was finally able to accommodate him.

  She pulled his hair, moaning into his mouth.

  “You okay, sugar?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut, piercing his back with her nails. “Oh my God…”

  “Hey, you need me to pull out?” It would kill him to withdraw now, but he would if she needed him to.

  She shook her head, biting her bottom lip. “No, sorry, just give me a minute.”

  He licked her neck, drawing the sensitive skin into his mouth as he tried to resist the urge to mark her. He hadn’t stamped a girl since high school, and only then because he had been too young to know better. His need to claim this woman, to let the world know that she belonged to him, defied reason. Maybe it was because he knew she was a rising star, and it was only a matter of time before men found out she was single and began making their move. He slid in and out gently when she finally started clenching him, trying to draw him deeper.

  “God,” she whispered. “That feels amazing, J.T.”

  He had always enjoyed giving a woman pleasure before he surrendered to his own release, but the one time he was desperate to impress, he didn’t think he’d be able to hang on long enough to give her what she needed. He clenched his teeth in frustration, trying to stave off the mounting need that was burning in his gut.

  He reached between their bodies, stroking her, faster, harder, until he finally had the satisfaction of watching her plummet with his name on her lips. The sight and sound was so erotic, he had no choice but to give in to his body’s demands.

  She smoothed a palm down his damp torso. “Wow, I can see why you’re a world champion, cowboy.”

  He was angry with himself for not giving her more. She deserved the best of him and he hadn’t even come close. It unnerved him to think this might be his one and only chance and he may have blown it, literally. He rolled off the bed, muttering, “Gimme a sec. I’ll be right back.”

  Chapter Six

  Nikki frowned when she heard the spray of water pelting the tiles in the bathroom. She knew most guys weren’t big on cuddling afterwards, but she hadn’t expected him to cut and run as soon as the deed was done.

  Mortified that she might have done something to prompt his
hasty retreat, she made quick work of dressing, collected her belongings, and headed down to Brad’s room to bunk with him for the night. It was late, but she knew he wouldn’t mind the intrusion once she explained her situation. She couldn’t stay in her room in case J.T. came looking for her. Even worse, he might be glad to be rid of her, and she’d lay awake all night waiting for the phone to ring or a knock on the door that never came. She should never have told him they were next-door neighbors. Since his room was at the end of the hall, there was no doubt which room belonged to her.

  To think she had been worried he would pursue her once they got back home. Ha. Apparently, she had given herself too much credit. He probably had buckle bunnies lining up, competing for the right to brag that they’d banged a world champion. They could knock themselves out fighting over him, ‘cause she’d had her fill of him.

  She punched the elevator button, leaning her head against the wall as soon as the doors closed. She cursed the hot burn of tears behind her eyelids. She’d been a damn fool to give herself to a man like J.T. McCall. She should have known he was a pro at shoveling shit.

  She stepped off the elevator, head down, as she walked past a boisterous couple commiserating over their losses at the casino. After knocking on Brad’s door, she leaned against the wall, waiting for him to open it. Fortunately, he was a light sleeper and she wouldn’t have to resort to calling him on the phone to rouse him.

  Within a minute or two, he pulled the door open, standing just behind it. He was rubbing his eyes as he yawned. His hair was standing at odd angles, a rarity for the always perfectly groomed salon owner. She reached up to brush a kiss across his cheek as she walked past him. “Sorry to wake you, babe.”

  He closed the door when she passed the threshold. “No problem, what’s up?”

  “Mind if I crash here tonight?”

  He frowned. “No, but what’s wrong with your room?”