Cook's Choice: A Bad Boy Protector Romance (Lost Boys Book 4)

by Janice M. Whiteaker

Levi lets me go and turns to Moon, grabbing him in a quick hug that clearly takes the bigger man by surprise.

  Moon stares at me, his body stiff as Levi grips him tight.

  I shrug.

  Moon relaxes a little, returning Levi’s embrace.

  They hug it out for longer than I’m expecting. Finally Moon glances my way. “Man, I think your lady is starting to question shit.”

  17

  “THAT WAS A long hug.” Carly peeks sideways at me.

  I switch on the television hanging on the wall opposite the foot of my bed. “I fucked up this morning.”

  Her eyes are soft as they move over me. “It happens.”

  “It shouldn’t.”

  “Why?”

  “It just shouldn’t.”

  “You have expectations for yourself that no one else has.” She sticks the spoon from her ice cream bowl in her mouth upside down.

  “I feel like that’s the pot calling the kettle black, Pinky.”

  She smiles around the flatware. “That’s because we’re both works-in-progress.”

  I scoot closer, nuzzling her neck. “If you get any better than you are, I might not be able to handle it.”

  She’s the best thing I’ve ever been lucky enough to be close to. Everything about her is fucking perfect.

  “You’re going to have to, because I have a lot of plans.” She drops the spoon into the empty bowl balanced on her lap.

  I reach out to finger one of the pearly buttons of the sweater she’s wearing. “I hope it doesn’t involve getting rid of your sweaters.”

  Her eyes shift to one side. “No.” Carly shakes her head. “I think I genuinely like my sweaters.”

  “I genuinely like your sweaters too.” I ease in more, breathing deep. “What about the perfume?”

  I can’t imagine her smelling any other way. Like roses after a morning rain. Sweet and new and pure.

  “That’s new.” Her gaze drops. “I didn’t wear perfume until recently.”

  I wrap one arm around her middle and pull her close, curling my body against hers. “I’m sorry, Carly. I’m sorry King fucked your mother up so bad.”

  “So am I.” Her lips curve in a sad smile. “I wish she could have found a way to get past it. Live a life that wasn’t forever controlled by what he did.”

  “So do I.”

  “I think she just didn’t have anyone to help her feel safe. Supported.” Her eyes stay on the wall just below the television. “I think that makes the difference.

  My chest feels warm.

  A little achy.

  Carly’s eyes slide to me. “I’m talking about you. You make me feel safe. Supported.” Her nose wrinkles. “After just a few days.” Her head tilts. “How did you do that?”

  “Hell if I know.” The heat in my chest spreads, working its way down my arms and into my belly.

  It’s something I can’t remember feeling before.

  Contentment.

  Acceptance.

  Security.

  “You make me feel shit, Carly.” I pull her in when she tries to look at my ears.

  She scoffs. “That’s not fair.” She might be complaining, but her body immediately softens in my arms, melting into mine.

  I fucking love how she does that.

  I should tell her.

  The urge to clamp it down, keep it in is still there, but I need to do this.

  To use my fucking words like the man I want to be.

  “I think that’s why I lost my shit with Moon this morning.” I lean into her soft hair, breathing deep. “Not because I’m a brat. It’s because your stubborn ass somehow managed to get under my skin and I’m so fucking scared.”

  “I know.” She doesn’t sound surprised at all by the revelation that’s completely new to me.

  “You’re like the old men at work.”

  I stare up at the ceiling. “Did you just say I’m like an old man?”

  “I’ve said it before.”

  “I’m not sure how to take that, Pinky.”

  “It’s a compliment.” She tips her head back to look up at me. “I like old men. I understand them.”

  “Does that mean you understand me?”

  She lifts one shoulder in a tiny shrug. “I try.”

  I slide my fingers across her cheek, pushing back the silky strands of barely-brown hair sliding into her face. “You’re beautiful.”

  I’ve never said that to a woman.

  I’ve called them hot. Sexy.

  On occasion I’ve even called a few crazy.

  Those were the women I chased. The ones who I knew would never want to dig any deeper.

  And then I had the fucking balls to resent them for it.

  Because whether Carly wants to admit it or not, sometimes I really am an asshole.

  She smiles at me and it makes the fear and the happiness better and worse at the same time.

  Because I think for me those fuckers go together, and will for a while.

  “I’m going to fuck up sometimes.” I need her to know this isn’t going to be easy. I have to be as honest with her as I can.

  Because the thought of her walking away the first time I disappoint her makes it hard to breathe.

  “Everyone does.” Carly slides one hand across my chest. “All you can do is own it and move on.”

  I’ve never wanted to be better. Not like this.

  I wanted my business to be better. I wanted it to grow.

  Not me.

  But I want to give that to her. A better me.

  A better man.

  Carly’s finger catches on my nipple ring as her hand moves across my pec and it makes me suck in a breath.

  “Did I hurt you?”

  “Nope.”

  Her eyes lift to my face as her finger toys with me, making me grit my teeth. “You sure?”

  “Positive.”

  If this were any other woman I’d think she was fucking with me, but Carly is many things.

  And inexperienced is one of them. She’s not bashful or embarrassed, but she is hesitant enough that it’s clear she’s not well-versed in the bedroom.

  It pisses me off as much as it makes me happy. I hate that she’s lived a life of holding back, thinking she had to be something different.

  But I love that I can show her things. Let her experience what she’s been missing.

  “Why are you making that face then?” Another careful slide of her finger.

  “Because it feels fucking good and I’m trying to behave myself.” I close my eyes as her touch gets bolder.

  Then it’s gone. I squint one eye open to peek at her just as Carly’s hand slides under my shirt, the warmth of her palm against my skin snaps both lids open.

  But Carly’s not watching me. She’s watching her hand as it moves under my shirt, gliding over my stomach, fingers tracing the ridge of the muscles I’ve worked so hard for.

  Right now it’s worth every second.

  “I don’t want to sound superficial...” Her voice trails off as her hand goes higher, this time to my unpierced nipple, grazing over it with the tip of one finger. Her bottom lip slides between her teeth when it puckers against her touch.

  I reach back to grab my shirt and tug it over and off, leaning up as much as I can to work it free. If she wants to touch me, I want her to have easy access.

  And I want to watch it happen. I want to remember the sight of her pink-tipped fingers against my skin.

  Her eyes move over my naked torso, their brown shade darkening as her lids get heavier. “You have such a nice body.”

  “Thank you.” My ears are burning, but I’m going to power through. Carly’s the first woman I haven’t resented for liking how I look.

  Because she’s the first woman to look past it.

  The first one stubborn enough to wait for me to let her do it.

  She leans down, fast enough I can’t prepare myself for it, and presses her mouth against the nipple she just touched. Her lips are soft and almost beara
ble.

  But then her tongue flicks against it, hot and wet. Her eyes lift to mine as she does it again.

  A woman watching the perfect pain she’s inflicting.

  And hell if it doesn’t make her bolder.

  Her hand is at the waistband of my pants, sliding under it, but over my briefs, fingers curling around my dick as her lips press into my skin, sealing it off so she can suck.

  It’s absolute torture to just lie here, letting her do what she wants.

  But it’s what I want her to always have. What she wants. Carly’s missed out on so much in her life and it’s time for that to end.

  But she will learn there’s always a price to pay for having what you want.

  “You better make sure this is worth it, Pinky.”

  Her hand goes still. “What does that mean?”

  “It means I might be letting you have your way now, but it won’t last forever.” I lean up so I can look her in the eye, “And you will get back everything you give me and more.”

  “That doesn’t sound like much of a deterrent.” Her hand slides lower to cup my balls.

  I grunt a little as she cradles them. “I think you underestimate what I’m capable of.”

  Her hand slides free and I’m a little disappointed.

  Until it’s back, pushing into the elastic of my underwear, skin to skin, finding my cock. “That’s not a deterrent either.” Carly’s hand eases up a little, turning to grab the front of my pants as she sits up and swings one leg over mine, sitting on my thighs. “That’s actually an incentive.”

  “It shouldn’t be.”

  She smiles, working the button and zipper of my fly open and pulling it wide. “I’m not worried.” Both her hands grab my jeans and tug. “You don’t scare me.”

  “No shit.”

  Sometimes I wish I did. Just a little. It would give me some breathing room in the relationship.

  “Carly?” I don’t mean to sound as serious as I do, but I need to make sure of something.

  Something important.

  She stops wrestling with my pants, her eyes lifting to mine.

  Now that I have her attention, I’m not sure what to say.

  How to fucking say it.

  Her brows come together. “What’s wrong?”

  I shake my head. “Nothing.” I take a deep breath, trying to untangle all the words I want to give her. “I want us to be together.”

  Carly’s eyes move to one side, then the other. “I thought we were.”

  “I don’t mean physically.” I lean up, wanting to be closer to her. “I mean like, together, together.” I reach up to brush my fingers across the soft skin of her cheek. “I want us to be an us.”

  Carly’s brows lift. “Yeah. I got that. I thought we were.”

  I grab her, rolling her body under mine. “Good.”

  She laughs, trying to free her hands from where they’re caught between us. “What happened to letting me have my way with you?”

  “I changed my mind.” I lean into her, rocking my body against hers. “Maybe next time.”

  “You can’t keep putting me off forever.” She’s protesting, but her lips are curved into a smile.

  “Not forever. Just until I’m sure I won’t blow a nut before I get to fuck you the way I want.”

  “Blow a nut?” Carly frowns at me. “Did you just make that up?”

  “No.” I lean into her ear. “It means come. I don’t want to come before I feel your pretty pussy squeeze my dick while I fuck it.”

  “Oh.” The word comes out on a rush of air.

  I brush my lips across her ear. “You like it when I say shit like that, don’t you?”

  “Yes.” Another breathless single word.

  “Good.” I catch the lobe of her ear with my teeth, flicking it with my tongue the way I plan to tease her clit. “Do you want to know what I’m going to do to you next?”

  “No.”

  I stop.

  I was not expecting that.

  “Oh. Okay.”

  “I don’t just want you to do things to me, Levi.” Carly moves under me, her body shifting restlessly against the blankets of my bed. “I want to do things with you.”

  I lean up. “With me.”

  She nods, eyes wide, a barely-there flush creeping over her cheeks.

  I nod along with her. “Okay, Pinky.” I roll off her. “You sure about that?”

  She sits straight up. “Where’d you go?”

  I lean back against the pillows, getting myself comfortable. I point to her sweet sweater-set. “Take your clothes off so we can do things together.”

  Carly blinks at me, and for a second I think she’s going to back out. Change her mind and let me do what I want.

  Which I’m fine with. I’m happy to bury my face between her thighs, then fuck her until those same thighs shake against me.

  But I’m also happy to give her what she says she wants.

  Hell, I’ll do whatever it takes for her to get what she needs.

  Carly slowly slides off the bed, her gaze never leaving mine as her fingers work down the buttons of her sweater.

  Jesus.

  The woman is teasing me. Taunting me with the slowest and most fucking sexy disrobing I’ve ever witnessed.

  Her shoulders work the soft knit off, letting it slip down her arms to fall onto the floor under her bare feet. Next comes the matching tank underneath. It gets tugged up and over before falling to the pile of pink stacking up.

  Today she’s wearing a bra the same color as her skin with lace-covered cups. My breath hitches as she undoes her pants, skimming them over the curve of her hip to reveal a matching pair of panties.

  Carly tries to climb onto the bed.

  I shake my head at her. “I can’t lick your pussy through panties, Sweetheart.”

  The flush on her cheeks deepens. She bites her lip as she reaches back to unhook the clasp of her bra. It drops to the ground as she shimmies down the panties that are the last scrap of fabric keeping her body from my eyes. When they’re gone she stands up straight, almost like she’s waiting for me to give her the go-ahead.

  But I’m not doing it. Not just yet.

  “Fucking magnificent.” I keep my eyes on her as I shove down my own pants, taking everything off at once. Then I settle back into my spot. “Come here.”

  Carly puts one knee on the bed dropping forward to crawl my way. She stops at my side. “Now what?”

  “Now you put that pretty pussy on my face.”

  Her eyes narrow. “You said we would be doing this together.”

  God I love that she’s pissed about this. Love that she just wants to be here, with me, enjoying each other.

  “I’m not telling you what you will or won’t be doing, Pinky. That’s up to you.” I grip one of her thighs. “I’m just telling you what I plan to be doing.” I heft her closer, twisting her body in a direction that makes her options clear.

  I can see it the minute it registers. The flash of surprise and arousal. It still takes some extra encouragement for me to get her body where I want it. I get it. It probably feels strange to put herself on me like this.

  I plan to help her get over that real fast.

  Once her thighs are at my ears I grip her hips and pull down, bringing her body to my mouth. I’ve been thinking about this all day. Tasting her. Feeling the swell of her clit under my tongue. The jerk of her hips when she’s close to coming.

  But I only have a few seconds to enjoy it before Carly once again proves herself to be a fast damn learner.

  As the heat of her mouth closes around me my hips press up, the unexpected wet heat making me move on reflex.

  I did not think she would just jump in like that. I was ready for some handwork. Maybe a few licks.

  Not this.

  And she doesn’t back off. Her lips are tight as she pulls back, dragging off me before sinking back down, swallowing down more than I can handle. When the head of my dick bumps the back of her throat I groan a
gainst her, wrapping both arms around her body as I pull it closer, trying to find something else to focus on besides her perfect fucking mouth on my cock.

  But then she moans. Soft and sweet, her lips carrying the vibration of the sound from her body to mine.

  “Damn it, Pinky.” I grab her, pushing her up as I roll away.

  At least I was smart enough to realize she was going to be more than I could handle. It means I got away before it was too late.

  Carly manages to keep her position as I scramble away, grabbing a condom and rolling it on as I go back for her. I press one palm to the center of her back, pushing her flat against the bed. “Remember when I said you would get back everything you give me?” I slide my hand up her spine, resting it between the blades of her shoulders. “It’s time to pay up.”

  This is better. I’m the one in control.

  The one holding it together.

  I lean down, running my lips up the line of her back as I settle over her, breathing slow and deep to calm my racing pulse.

  As I ease closer one of Carly’s hands slides across the bed to cover the one I have pressed into the mattress beside her, the tips of her fingers curling between mine in a connection that is so much more than the one I’m about to give her.

  I stare at her hand on mine for a second, focusing on it.

  I want to do things with you.

  With.

  I take my hand off her back, raising up just a little as I grip her hip. “Ass up, Pinky.” I heft her hips up, angling her body toward mine.

  Carly’s head turns, her dark eyes peeking at me over one shoulder.

  The sight of her like this almost undoes me, steals all my good intentions and throws them to the wind.

  But she deserves for this to be all she wants, every damn time. “Higher.”

  Her knees push up, pressing her sweet ass higher in the air.

  “Perfect.” I lean in, lining myself up and pressing against her as I dig my fingers into the soft flesh of her hips, pulling them back against me.

  It’s all the hint she needs.

  Carly rocks toward me, her pussy sliding over me. I watch as the line of my cock disappears into her warm, welcoming body until it’s fully seated.

  Then my girl moves in the opposite direction, taking back the gift she gave, before gracing me again.

  And again.

  And again.