Against the Cage (Worth the Fight #1)

by Sidney Halston

  “Fucking stunning.”

  To her complete surprise, he used both of his hands and ripped, literally ripped, the material that held her panties together on one side. Then he went to the other hip and did the same thing. She gasped. She’d never seen him so frenzied. Control and authority clung to him, except when she was involved. Chrissy secretly rejoiced that she was able to snap his control.

  She was standing in Jack’s room naked. Jack Daniels, her brother’s best friend with the goofy name he hated. The guy next door whom she’d known since she was two years old. The kid who had placed a No Girls Allowed sign on the tree house in his backyard when he was twelve, for the sole purpose of keeping Chris the Priss out. The jackass who had tormented her day and night. The guy who she’d mistakenly thought, for years upon years, had chosen her best friend over her. And there she was: buck-ass naked.

  Holy fuck!

  For a moment Jack stood looking at her, eyes glazed over with hunger. Silently, looking like a predator, he stepped forward. His fighting and her fears of violent men still nagged at her, but she pushed those thoughts to the back of the sexually-unfulfilled-for-way-too-long part of her brain, for further examination at a later time. A time when this beautiful naked man with the lust-filled eyes was not standing in front of her.

  With one of his bare feet he forced her feet apart so that she stood exposed to him with her legs shoulder width apart. The rate of her breathing increased. He took another step closer, fisted her hair, pulled her head back, and landed his mouth on hers for the most erotic kiss of her life. She felt completely helpless. With the other hand, he reached down and began to rub her, while she stood completely naked in the middle of his room.

  “Thank God you’re already so wet for me, because I can’t wait much longer.”

  Her head was still thrown back, so she couldn’t nod; instead she let out an involuntary whimper. Without breaking the kiss, he walked her backward until the backs of her knees hit the bed. Roughly he pushed her onto it.

  “Are you on the pill, Chrissy?”

  God, he was so brazen! No beating around the bush with this man. She nodded.

  “I’m clean. I get checked out before every fight.”

  “Me too. Well, not before the fight, ’cause I don’t fight. I’ve been checked out because of traveling for work and …” She was rambling nervously.

  He laughed in understanding. “Good, because I don’t want any barriers between us.” Without any further hesitation he knelt on the bed and spread her legs apart with his knees as he lay on top of her, his forearms on either side of her head to support his weight. Slowly, ever so slowly, he glided inside her.

  “You okay, baby?” he asked. She nodded, and he went even deeper. She moaned. “Still with me?” he asked.

  “Jack,” she pleaded.

  “What do you want? Tell me.”

  She sat up slightly, on her elbows, and looked him in the eyes. “Fuck me right now, Daniels. Right now!”

  He groaned again, and in one single movement pulled out and thrust back in, hard. She drew a sharp intake of breath and moaned in pleasure. “Again, Jack. Again.” A tidal wave of pleasure enveloped her.

  He grabbed one of her thighs and positioned it above his shoulder, plunging into her again, angling himself perfectly. This time his thrust moved him even deeper. He placed her leg on his shoulder and let go, in order to free up his hand. “Keep your leg here.” Jack reached between their bodies and began rubbing her with his thumb as he thrust in and out. “But don’t come yet, Chrissy. Not yet.”

  “Jack! Are you crazy? I can’t stop myself from coming,” she yelled. Her body arched toward him and her head pushed back onto the bed.

  One, two, three thrusts.

  When her sex tightened around him, Jack slowed down his pace a little, probably trying to delay her impending orgasm, but it was too late. Waves of pleasure rippled through her body as she began to contract deep inside. It sent him over the edge.

  “Chrissy …” One last thrust and her toes curled, her heart stopped beating, and pleasure consumed her as Jack stiffened and exploded inside her.

  Chapter 10

  Jack had been around the block a time or two. He knew great sex, but this … this was something else. He saw stars, fireworks, and the future all flash before his eyes; he thought his heart would explode. His entire body went limp, causing his forearms to give way, and he collapsed on top of her, resting his forehead against hers as they recovered. Their breathing was ragged—though hers might’ve been partly because he was still on top of her—and they glistened with sweat. When he finally spoke, all he was able to formulate was, “Damn.”

  Chrissy smiled, her breathing still erratic. “That may be too tame a word for what just happened.” Moments later, he pulled her to her feet. She immediately tried to cover up.

  “What are you doing?”

  “It’s just … My God, your body is so perfect. You make me self-conscious,” she admitted.

  With an amused smile he crossed his arms over his chest, still completely naked, and said, “Seriously? After what we just did? After what we—well, I did the night before, not to mention what we’ve done against many a wall, you’re going to be shy around me?” She shrugged in response. “Trust me, I like what I see. Why do you think I keep coming back for more? You,” he said, reaching for the arm that she was using to shield her breasts and kissing her palm, “are perfect.” He gave her a thorough and incredibly erotic once-over and then slapped her butt on the way to the bathroom. She squealed.

  When the temperature of the shower was to his liking, he pulled her in with him.

  Chrissy reached for the soap and sniffed it. “You always smell of this,” she said.

  “And since you’re inhaling it, you must like it?”

  She gave a lazy smile. “Mmm.”

  Jack took the soap from her hand and started lathering her body.

  “Turn around,” he ordered.

  She obeyed. He put one of her hands against the cold white tile of his shower, then the other. He began washing the back of her, starting at her ankles and working his way up. When he reached her midsection, he wrapped his arm around her waist, then roughly lifted her ass up and pushed her back down, so that she was perfectly bent over.

  “You couldn’t possibly be ready aga—”

  “The correct question is, are you ready?” he said in a husky voice that was so sensual that, had she not already been willing and eager, hearing his voice would have gotten her instantly ready for anything he had to offer. One finger found its way inside her and then another. When she let out a moan, he slipped his very large and very erect dick into her. Like in the bed, it wasn’t slow. It was hard and fast and wonderful. Once again they climaxed together. Her legs gave way and they both slid down to the floor of his shower. He held her firmly against his chest and kissed the top of her head and her shoulders as they both tried to steady their breathing.

  After a moment he stood and finished bathing himself. “Looks like you’re all dirty again,” he said with a wink, and tossed her the soap. He stepped out of the shower and wrapped his bottom half in a towel. Then, when she was done, he gently helped her out and swathed her in a big fluffy towel.

  “Come on. Let’s go to bed.”

  “I feel like jelly. My feet don’t seem to be cooperating, and without my glasses I can’t see a thing.”

  He reached down, scooped her into his arms, and carried her to his bed. “You know, Jack, I’m not that light. Besides, I can walk.” She giggled when he nuzzled her neck with his slightly-overdue-for-a-shave face.

  “Honey, you weigh next to nothing. If I could, I’d carry you around all day.” She laughed into his neck, and he tossed her onto the bed, making her giggle again. “That is my favorite sound in the entire world,” he said as he settled them under the covers.

  “What?” she said, still laughing. For the first time in a long time, she looked really happy.

  “Your laugh. It’s my
favorite sound.” She smiled at him. “Scratch that. You screaming my name when you come is my favorite sound in the world. You laughing and giggling is my second favorite.”

  She threw a pillow at him, and he lunged toward her, ready to tickle her, but instead pulled her to his chest. “Goodnight, baby. Sleep well.” Her body fit so perfectly against his. He gave her a kiss on the back of her head, and she sighed.

  It was almost midday when Chrissy and Jack made their way out of bed. During the night Jack had awoken with Chrissy’s ass wiggling suggestively against his dick, which hardened immediately. He could take a hint. So at some point in the middle of the night, Jack made love to Chrissy again. Slowly. Gently. By the time morning came around they were sated and exhausted. But the exhaustion had been worth it.

  “You got any plans for today?” asked Chrissy.

  “Not really. You?”

  Chrissy shook her head.

  “How about I fix you breakfast and we have a lazy day? We can even go to the beach.”

  Chrissy sat up and knelt next to him. “Oh, yes!” she squealed excitedly. “That sounds like a plan. I’ve been eyeing the beach since I arrived. In Miami, the beach is always so packed. One of the things I miss most about this town and my old house is that I can be at the beach all day and not see one single person the entire time.”

  “I’m going to start breakfast. You want to use the shower first?”

  “Sure. Thanks, Jack,” she said with a silly grin from ear to ear.

  Before he did anything, Jack went next door. He’d been worried about Slade all night. He had tried to sneak in a few calls during the night while Chrissy slept, but Slade didn’t answer. After knocking several times and getting no response, Jack used his spare key to let himself in. Nervously he opened Slade’s bedroom door and was relieved to find him spread out on his bed, one foot dangling off and the other wrapped around his sheets. These Martins certainly know how to take over a bed! Jack quietly approached the bed to make sure that Slade hadn’t gotten himself badly injured. He noticed a swollen eye, the opposite one from the previous fight, and a scratch on his cheekbone. “Fucking idiot,” he whispered before silently walking out of the room. Chrissy’s going to kill him, and when she’s done killing him, she’s going to kill me. Shit. Shit. Shit. Maybe once she understood that it was for her own good, she’d get it. She was a reasonable and rational woman. Right?

  Nope, she was going to kill him.

  Back in his own house, he started breakfast, and was almost done cooking when Chrissy came down.

  “Smells wonderful.” She got close to Jack and picked a piece of bacon from a plate. She ate half of it and gave the other half to Drogo, who was by her feet.

  Suddenly she looked a little uncomfortable. “I’m not so good with this kinda thing,” she admitted. “I don’t want to be clingy. Maybe I should go next door and—”

  “If you think you’re going back to Slade’s while you’re in town, I clearly did a bad job last night.”

  She giggled. “No. No, you did an excellent job.”

  “Dig in.” Jack gestured to the food on the table. “We’ll go for a swim after breakfast.”

  They ate in relative silence, and when they finished, Jack went upstairs and took a quick shower while Chrissy cleaned up the mess from breakfast. He came back down in camouflage board shorts and no shirt. He really was a work of art.

  “You’re staring, babe.”

  “Oh, uh … sorry ’bout that,” she said. “Gonna change into my bathing suit. Be right back.”

  “I’ll grab us some towels and some bottled water. Meet you outside.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Chrissy was lying next to Jack on a beach towel enjoying the scorching Florida heat on her skin.

  Jack rolled onto his side, his head resting on his palm, while he drew little circles on Chrissy’s exposed abdomen. “I haven’t relaxed by the beach in years,” he said.

  Chrissy turned her face to him. “Really? But that’s a sacrilege, since you live on the beach. Nothing better than sand, sun, and the salty warm water of the ocean.”

  “Most mornings I do go jogging on the beach, but actually bathing in the ocean and lazing around on the beach … nope, it’s been a long time.”

  “Well, I think you need to start doing it more often,” she said. His hands were now a little lower on her body. He skimmed the waistband of the bikini bottom with his index finger. Chrissy’s brain went into overdrive.

  “There are lots of things I need to do more often.” He lifted his sunglasses and winked at her.

  “Are you flirting with me, Daniels?”

  “If you can’t tell, then I’m doing a terrible job.” His hand slipped a little farther down her bikini bottom.

  “Jack …,” she whispered.

  “Shh. No one can see us. Just go with it.”

  Chrissy sat up on her elbows and looked around. Between the sand dunes and the sea grass, it was pretty secluded. Certainly people could walk by and see them, but there was no one around. And if the neighbors stayed inside, they couldn’t see anything either.

  Jack’s hand went lower still. She gasped. “Relax,” he soothed.

  When he reached the exact spot he wanted to touch, he found her wet. Soaked. And they hadn’t even gotten in the water just yet. “I can tell you want this.” He rubbed just enough to elicit a little moan. He then went lower still and, without warning he thrust two fingers inside of her. She gasped and bucked. He leaned into her so that the weight of his body held her down. “Jack! Oh, God, more …”

  He obliged and moved in and out faster until her hips bucked so wildly that he had to use his other hand to pin her down. Her arms wrapped around his neck and when she was about to come he silenced her scream with his tongue in her mouth. Then he put his sunglasses back on and rolled back onto his towel. Chrissy wanted to reciprocate, but the heat from the sun and the intense orgasm made her completely immobile.

  Jack stood up and extended his hand. “Come on. Let’s go in the water.”

  Chrissy grunted.

  Jack chuckled. “What was that?”

  She grunted again and waved his hand away. “Nap. I need a nap.”

  He laughed. “You are so adorable.” He reached down and picked her up. “Someone told me I had to enjoy the ocean more often.”

  Chrissy squealed and kicked. “No! Don’t you dare!”

  Jack threw her glasses on the beach towel and carried her to the water. She was sure he was going to hurl her in. Instead he walked in slowly, cradling Chrissy.

  “Aren’t you … don’t you … I mean, it was a great orgasm, don’t you want me to …”

  “Sometimes it’s about us, sometimes it’s about you, and sometimes it’s about me. This time it was about you. Now be quiet and enjoy the beach.”

  Chrissy draped her arms around his neck and nuzzled closer. Yes, it had certainly been about her, and she was okay with leaving it that way. Next time it would be about him.

  By midafternoon they were both hot, hungry, and a few shades darker.

  “Sweetheart, can you hand me my glasses? I can’t see without them,” she said as she scrambled for her towel blindly.

  “Sweetheart?”

  “Huh?” She looked up at him, dumbfounded.

  “You just called me sweetheart.”

  “I did? Hmm, I guess I did. Is it a problem? It’s weird, right? Sorry.”

  Jack walked over to her and placed her glasses on her nose, then cradled her face with his hands. “No, baby. It’s not a problem and it’s not weird at all. It’s nice. I like it. It’s just unexpected coming from you. You’re not a ‘sweetheart’ kind of girl.” He placed a very tender kiss on her lips, and they headed back to the house, hand in hand. Drogo stood by the door, tail wagging, as they walked in.

  It had been one of the best days of Chrissy’s life. Well, if she was being honest, it had been the best day of her life.

  That evening, Jack picked up some Chinese takeout since they were both too
tired and lazy to cook. They sat on his bed with cartons of food and chopsticks, eating, talking, and laughing. He had put an action movie on the TV, but it had gone mostly unnoticed. After dinner they made love again, but this time it was about them.

  “Good morning, beautiful girl.”

  “Hey, you.”

  “You know you take up the entire bed when you sleep?” he asked with a chuckle.

  “I do not.”

  “Yes, you do. I almost fell off.”

  She hit him with a nearby pillow. “Well, at least I don’t snore.”

  “Actually, you do.” When Chrissy pulled the covers over her face, mortified, he threw his head back and laughed. “I’m just teasing you. You don’t snore. But you are a bed hog.”

  “Sorry?” She said it as a question, and he smiled.

  “The chief just called me,” he told her. “I have to go in to the office for a few hours this morning. Wanna go grab breakfast at the diner before I have to head out?”

  “Sure. Give me fifteen.”

  Jack nodded and went to get ready. He was in his uniform waiting downstairs when Chrissy came down ready to leave. “We gotta take both cars, so I can head straight to work afterward.”

  “Okay,” Chrissy said. “Did you feed Drogo?”

  “Of course. I feed him every day. Although by his attitude, you’d think I didn’t give a damn about him.”