Unbridled Heat [Men of Iron Horse 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Morgan Fox

  But he liked the idea of spending more time with Layla, getting to know her. They could be friends with benefits. He'd show her everything she'd been missing in a sexual partner, fulfill a few of her fantasies, and they could both find enjoyment in that. Anything more, he couldn't give. That wasn't him. Hurting her wasn't his plan, but he would be honest with her. Yes, he liked her a lot, enough to bring her into his home, but that was it. He couldn't offer her a future, a ring, the happily-ever-after scenario. That part wasn't possible. Not now, not ever.

  His thoughts were stripped clean when her fingers glided over the skin of his neck and she drew him down for a kiss. She moaned against his lips and he smiled. With a quick sweep of his arm and leg, he had her straddled over top of him.

  There was something sexy about the innocent, wide-eyed gleam in her gaze. She looked nervous again, something he found sweet, charming, even.

  “Ride me,” he said, bucking his hips upward to drill inside her.

  She leaned forward, pressing her hands into his chest as she rolled her hips up and down in a steady rhythm. Gripping her hips, he showed her the pace he liked. Her pink nipples beaded before his eyes and he couldn't help but arch forward to take one into his mouth to suck. She tasted like strawberries and wine, a flavor combination he never thought he'd enjoy as much as he did.

  As the pressure in his balls began to build the intensity of his need grew. He held her firmly and thrust upward harder, faster. Her perfect breasts bounced. He liked watching her body as she pleasured him and the moment the image of her sucking his cock flooded his mind, he lost his seed.

  Every muscle in his body tensed and he bucked his hips one last time. Then she fell against him, her body covering his like a blanket. The scent of her hair tickled his senses. They lay like that for a while before he nudged her to the side to head to the bathroom to discard the condom and clean up. When he returned, she was nestled under the sheets, her eyes heavy with sleep.

  Again there was an unsettling swirl of emotions churning in his gut. Lying in his bed, smiling up at him, she had rendered him senseless. He crawled in behind her and pulled her against him. She pressed her ass to his cock and immediately a rush of warmth consumed him. There was no question that he'd planned to have her once more before the night ended. He just hoped he had the strength to let it end there.

  Chapter Eight

  When the morning light flooded into the room and Luke's hand slipped between her legs, Layla grinned. His lovemaking had been insatiable and all-consuming. She enjoyed every minute and was surprised that he hadn’t ushered her out during the night. He seemed to want her to stay and that was fine with her. His bed was cozy and warm, the perfect place to pretend reality didn’t exist.

  “Already?” she asked, rolling to her back to gaze up at him, a beaming desire flickering in his eyes.

  “I can’t help it,” he teased.

  “You're wicked.”

  “I know.”

  He moved over top of her and cradled between her legs, guiding his already condom-covered cock inside her. Even though they'd had sex several times throughout the night, she still gasped as he filled her. Their joining was explosive, a fiery connection that left her breathless and wanting more.

  He brought her knees up over his shoulders and drilled hard and fast, slamming to the hilt over and over again. There was nothing sensual about the way he possessed her, it was driven with purpose, need. Each time they'd had sex had been different. And each time had left her with a new and budding experience. This was what she’d hoped it would be like and was thankful fear hadn’t stopped her from finding out just how good it could be.

  With wild strokes, he set fire to the spot inside her and her eyes rolled back in her head. Every place he touched tingled and sparked with something hot and teasing. She was going to come. He'd thrilled her to the brink and was sending her over the edge. Again.

  She clawed at the firm muscles of his arms, the heat of his body so alluring. Staring up at him, she couldn’t believe it was real. Being with him felt right. He took his time, cherished every moment. Her pussy clenched as wave after wave of spasms rocked her.

  “I love to watch you come,” he said, his voice scraping against his throat. “I like to feel your pussy tighten around my cock.”

  Opening her eyes, she stared up at him. “You can feel that?”

  “Hell yes. When you come...it's hot.”

  She blushed, heat filling her cheeks.

  “I could watch it all day.”

  She arched a brow. “You mean feel it,” she corrected.

  “That, too.” He grinned, cupping her face with one hand while the other pressed against the mattress beside her head. “But mostly I like to see you. You're absolutely gorgeous. The tight pussy is just a bonus.”

  She gasped, shoving against his chest. “You're awful.”

  He rolled his hips, thrusting again. She bit her lip. “Maybe just a little, but I think you secretly like it.” He continued to sink in and out of her pussy. “I think you like that I say the things you fear to. I think you like the things I do to you and I think you'll want to experience more with me.”

  Oh, God, he had no idea how right he was. She moaned, catching her breath. “You do, huh?”

  He nodded. “Come back over tonight and I'll show you even more of what I've got in store for you.”

  Her heart raced. There was more? “Tonight? I figured you need a few days off.”

  He chuckled. “I rebound quickly.”

  Once again he was like a piston, fucking her harder and faster. “I see what you mean.” She gripped his arms tighter.

  Before long, he found his release and disappeared into the bathroom. When he returned she heard the shower running. He didn't give her the chance to tell him she would prefer to shower alone. He ripped the covers from her body and hauled her up out of bed. He was like a wild man from the jungle, the way he came at her. She half expected him to toss her over his shoulder and bang on his chest, before he took her into the bathroom.

  She laughed. “I can walk, you know.”

  “This is more fun,” he said with a wink.

  When he placed her in the shower, she closed her eyes as the warm water covered her body. It was heaven. The bathroom was an oasis, black-and-white marbled bath tile, a rain showerhead with body sprayers.

  He moved up beside her in the vast shower stall. She noticed that he held a washcloth and body wash. She arched a brow.

  “Turn around,” he ordered and she realized he intended to bathe her.

  This will be a first...

  * * * *

  Luke's fingers glided over Layla’s damp, smooth skin as he washed her body. He started with her hands and arms, seriously focused on the task at hand. But all that seriousness fled as he reached her breasts, taking a little extra care with the sensitive nipples. They required more than just a cloth and soap. What they needed was his warm mouth sucking them ever so gently, forcing them into hardened tips.

  Hmm, Perfect…

  Then he squeezed the liquid soap in his hands and went to work on her stomach, thighs, and buttocks. Oh, how he caressed and cleansed her body. All the while, she watched him, her smile so bright and beautiful it nearly blinded him. In his thirty years, he'd never bathed a woman. Sure, he'd had sex in a shower, but that wasn't what he was doing with Layla. He simply wanted another reason to touch her. Everywhere. Something other than sex, but still sexual. It was as if a part of him wanted to know every inch of her. Besides, touching her felt right. Being with her—

  No, he wouldn’t go there. Not yet. Most likely not ever.

  She yanked the washcloth from his hand and placed her palm against his chest when he tried to reach for it. She tsked under her tongue, shaking her head disapprovingly.

  “What?” he asked, his eyes wide as if she weren’t going to assume he wasn’t enjoying himself as much as he was. “I’m just bathing you.”

  “Right,” she said, dragging out the word. “As if I’d
believe you were just bathing me.”

  He folded his arms over his chest. “And what would you call using soap, a washcloth, and warm water?”

  “For you? Foreplay.”

  He smiled. “Busted. But don’t hate the guy for simply wanting to touch you again.” He pulled her into his arms. “I can’t seem to help myself.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. The tenderness of her lips brushing over his left him holding her longer than he’d intended. Cupping his face in her hands, she stared up at him, but he couldn’t read her thoughts.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  She eased back, turning to step under the water to rinse the soap from her body. “No reason.”

  She grabbed the shampoo and began washing her hair. He gently took over, massaging her scalp as he washed it.

  “I don’t believe that. Tell me.”

  She rinsed the shampoo and faced him. “You’re different than I thought you’d be. That’s all.”

  He studied her, his curiosity piqued. “And how is that, exactly?”

  She shrugged. “I figured we’d have sex once, you’d slip out of bed, excuse yourself from the house on an emergency call, and leave me here by myself. You’d most likely check out what was discovered about the man who assaulted me. Then you’d call to tell me the news and that it was safe to return to my apartment. You’d probably tell me that we were still on for our bowling date, but in the end you’d find a reason to cancel.” She shrugged again. “Something along those lines.”

  His mouth hung open. “Wow. You’ve thought a lot about that, huh?”

  Her expression grew serious. “Look, I don’t expect anything to happen between us. I knew what I was doing before I even drove to your house. I wanted the kind of night you gave me and I liked everything we did. A lot.” She grinned and a sense of pride burst from his chest. “But I’m well aware that something serious is not your thing.”

  He suddenly felt deflated. Something serious wasn’t his thing. But if that were true, why did hearing her say it bother him so much?

  “Layla, I’m not—”

  “You don’t have to say anything, Luke. Really. I’m good. I’d enjoy more nights like the one we shared.”

  Scowling, he held his breath. Was she asking him to be her lover without strings? The idea excited him, but it also concerned him. Sex with her would be epic, she was so eager to explore new things, but the idea of using her didn’t sit right with him.

  Layla deserved flowers, fancy dinners, candles, and all that came with dating. Mostly, she deserved to be truly cared for. Her kind of sweetness was a rare gift.

  Even knowing those things, he couldn’t seem to let her go completely. He desired more time with her. Even going out to do something fun together sparked his interest. “Are we on for bowling?”

  The slow, sexy smile that curled the corner of her mouth set fire to his blood. Damn, she was beautiful, stunning, and she wasn’t even trying.

  “I was hoping you’d really want to go. But I get—”

  “I’m not going to cancel on you. And all that shit you said…well, it’s true. But I wouldn’t do that to you.”

  I wouldn’t? Am I so sure about that?

  Layla was confusing the hell out of him. He wasn’t himself around her. Trapped by desires, he couldn’t shake the strange feelings that tore at him when he thought of parting from her. Maybe he’d made a mistake, after all. Wasn’t the girl supposed to be the clingy one? How in the world had their roles changed? How had a sweet girl from Kentucky rattled him so much?

  “Then yes, I’d love to go bowling.”

  The mood lightened as they finished showering and moved back into the bedroom to watch each other dress. The sensual gleam in her eyes drove him wild and the only thing stopping him from ravaging her was his rumbling stomach.

  “Are you hungry?”

  “Starving,” she replied, eyes rounding with interest.

  “Good. I know the perfect place to grab a bite. Do you like burgers?”

  She frowned, sadness covering her expression. “I’m not allowed to eat meat.”

  What? He knew it. There was no way she could be this perfect and now he figured out one of her fatal flaws. He loved meat. Would eat steak every night if he could. How could he date someone who only ate weeds or whatever it was nonmeat eaters ate?

  “Oh,” he said, trying not to sound as disappointed as he was.

  A slow, bubbling laughter erupted from her. As he watched her, he figured out that he’d been played.

  “You should’ve seen your face. That was priceless.”

  He clenched his jaw, not sure if he should spank her or kiss her. “So you do like meat?”

  “Of course, I do,” she told him, still laughing. “Have you seen the number of burgers we sell at Iron Horse? That place keeps the cattle business in business.”

  He shook his head. Her sense of humor might be quirky and bit off beat, but at least she had one. As he headed to the living room, he swatted her butt.

  “Hey,” she shouted.

  “That’s for teasing me.” He spun her to crush his mouth over hers. He took care not to rush, savoring the sweetness of her lips. The kiss left her breathless and clinging to him. “That’s for everything else.”

  * * * *

  She stared after him as he disappeared down the hallway, leaving her to finish dressing. Her fingers touched her lips, the sensation of his kiss lingered. The unexpected connection between them was unsettling. The idea of only wanting sex from him had been a naive thought by a naive girl.

  Why had she been so sure that one night would be enough? How could she ever see him in public and not be hurt when he dismissed her as if she’d never mattered to him?

  He had to help her now. The case he was working involved her. But once that was resolved, and it would be, she would again be another girl who’d fallen for him hook, line, and dumbass sinker.

  Brushing away the tear that fell from her eyes, she tried not to think about the end and instead focus on the here and now. Later tonight, she’d have a good cry. Now she would finish getting ready and enjoy an early lunch at a burger joint with Luke. And pretend that a future with him was possible. Later, reality would correct itself and most likely crush her for a bit.

  She didn’t want to be rejected. She didn’t want to be used. Even though she knew that was what would happen in the end.

  To her surprise the restaurant was up the street from Iron Horse and the parking lot was overrun with motorcycles and police cars. She eyed Luke and he must have sensed her concern.

  “This is a popular place. Cops like it because it’s cheap. Bikers like it because it’s...a fun place to hang out until Iron Horse opens.” He chuckled. “Actually, the food’s great and the price is right. The bikers and cops are fixtures here. Some of the bikers are cops or firemen. You might be surprised by what these guys dressed in leather jackets and chaps do for a living.”

  “Not really. Working at the bar, I’ve seen a lot of folks come through. I was shocked at first when I met a doctor who looked like he was in a hardcore biker club.” She laughed. “But after a while, they just become people in leather.”

  “For the most part,” he corrected. “There are still those who push the envelope.”

  She frowned. “Glad I haven’t met too many of those.”

  “Me, too.”

  As they walked through the restaurant, Luke seemed to know at least one person at each table. He was quick to say his hellos and continue walking with her. She appreciated that he didn’t leave her standing there, clueless. The eyes around her were already weighing heavy on her.

  Once they were seated, she asked, “Why is everyone staring at me?”

  He picked up the menu, avoiding eye contact with her. “I’ve never brought anyone here with me before.”

  She frowned. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously,” he replied, lowering the menu. “I keep my personal life and professiona
l life separate. I don’t take risks that I’ll run into a woman I’ve slept with in a place where—”

  “I get it,” she said before he could finish. But then she didn’t actually get why she was different. “If that’s the case, why bring me?”

  Clearing his throat, he told her, “I don’t know.”

  Before she could ask another question, he pointed to her menu. “The cheeseburger is awesome, but you really need to add bacon to it. You won’t be disappointed.”

  She smiled, swallowing down the long list of questions forming in her mind. “Do they have sweet potato fries? I just love them.”

  “Sweetheart, this is Texas. Of course they serve sweet potato fries.”

  “Then that’s what I’m having.” She put down her menu and the waitress was at the table. The young, dark-haired woman took their order. They both got iced teas, with bacon cheeseburgers and sweet potato fries. Her mouth watered just thinking about how good she expected it to be.

  “Did you always want to be a cop?”

  As the teas were placed on the table in front of them, he took a sip. “Pretty much. Not having a dad to whip my ass sort of left me getting into a lot of trouble.”

  “What kind of trouble?”

  “Getting drunk after school under the bleachers. Stealing candy from the store. Fighting. You name it, I did it.”

  “Yet you become a cop.”

  He grinned. “Once I grew up and figured out what an idiot I was being, I realized that I had to stop thinking about the past and focus on the future. I also had a knack for seeing things others didn’t and investigating was something I really enjoyed.” He leaned forward as if to whisper a secret. “I like to solve mysteries.”

  Was she a mystery to him? Was that why he found her interesting? She had to stop reading into it so much and just embrace their time together.

  “What about you?” he asked, tearing her from her wayward thoughts.

  “When I was twelve, I thought I’d take over my father’s ranch.”