All it should have taken was one dance. Some heavy-load flirting to get her smiling and blushing. Hawk wouldn’t deny that he knew just how to make a girl feel like she was sitting on a cloud. But with Anna, he never got the chance to act out his elaborate plot of smitten admirer.
Because in the end, he didn’t even have to act.
He’d never seen a woman with such a hot mix of tigress and kitten. On the one hand he wanted to protect her from all the bad things in the world. And on the other hand, he wanted to stretch that warm, sweet little pussy of hers with his cock until he was imprinted in every corner of her satiny walls.
When he’d asked her to go home with him, he’d been so sure she’d refuse. Hell, that had even been the plan. None of them had ever believed she’d give him the time of day, Marine or not. But not only had she done that, she’d danced with him – and then spent the night – all night with him.
Hawk hadn’t been acting cocky when he’d told Marcus that Anna undoubtedly wanted to see him again. Sure, she’d left without a word but the sight of her “forgotten” panties, for one, told him a different story.
Or perhaps she’d merely wanted to leave him something to remember her by? Hawk was suddenly feeling confused. What if he was wrong after all? What if Anna had given herself simply out of the urge to enjoy no-strings sex on the rebound?
Normally such a notion would not worry him in the least. After all, he was all for the one-night stand opportunity. He’d certainly had enough of them. A few days or weeks resting while they reported back to base – and then leaving on that next secret mission. Such a lifestyle was well suited to the “just sex, no stress” relations he was used to.
So why did Anna feel different?
Why did one night with her feel like it was capable of doing serious damage to his perpetually single status? And even after he knew she was just out of a long-term relationship that ended badly, why did he want to see her again?
Because everyone said he shouldn’t – and couldn’t.
And that was one way to get Hawk to do the exact opposite. Hawk was not a man who liked to be denied – in anything.
What had started as a playful favor for a friend was turning into a challenge. And the fact that Hawk had so little time in which to achieve his aim, made it all the more exciting to undertake…
Chapter Twelve
Anna had already braced herself for the teasing that would undoubtedly come from her pals. The first person to phone her was Bertha, who wanted to know if she was doing okay.
“Of course I’m fine,” Anna replied with a slight frown. It was almost noon and she was in her florist tending to her many flower arrangements and pots. Her florist brought brisk business from what used to be just a hobby. She had a huge wedding job to prepare for in the coming weeks and she was going to be busy – if she could keep herself from daydreaming every other minute about her one hot night with the sexy Hawk Malone.
“Oh. Okay. Good,” Bertha was saying slowly. “Because, you know…last night. When you were dragged off by that guy...”
“Hawk you mean?” Anna replied, keeping her voice light. “Is that why you’re calling? Hoping that I’d be safe and sound and not gagged and bound in some psycho guy’s trunk?”
“Please, it’s not funny,” Bertha groaned. “I was so shocked when you left with him. We all were.”
“Well, so was I, to be honest. But it turned out for the best. I’m not a child, Bertha. I know it’s not my way of doing things, but I won’t say I regretted it.”
“So do you plan on seeing him again?” asked Bertha.
Anna paused, then said firmly, “No. I don’t think that would be wise. I’m only just past a messy break-up, and he’s a military guy who’s hardly ever around anyway. He’s sure to soon disappear as quickly as he swung into my life. I’m not sure I’m ready for a full-blown sexual affair but I did enjoy being able to act spontaneous for once.”
“Well, with him being so handsome and a Marine as well, can’t say I blame you,” Bertha laughed, before suddenly coughing and then saying, “Um, I have to go. I’m glad you sound okay. We’ll meet up for drinks later maybe?”
“Yeah, later,” Anna said slowly, suddenly wondering why something felt wrong. But the call ended and she shrugged, getting back to carefully watering her small flower pots. She had some very rare, very pricey specimens she needed to deliver the next week to a few high-end commercial clients.
Her work at the florist had helped a lot in keeping her busy when Aaron had first left her. She’d devoted all her time to her beautiful flowers. And in an affluent area like the one she lived in, she did her best to appeal to the predominantly wealthy clientele to ensure her enterprise stayed flourishing.
Flowers used to be her one great passion but now, after meeting Hawk, she could find something else she could easily direct much of her ardor to. Alas, too bad she’d made up her mind to deprive herself of a repeat performance.
How could she tell if he even wanted a repeat of last night? An inner voice mocked. Anna sighed deeply, her old insecurity rushing in. But she shoved it back, and instead chose to dwell on every instance that Hawk had showed her he found her beautiful, sexy – irresistible. She wanted to keep that memory and wanted nothing to spoil it. For all she knew, he could already be off on some new assignment in a far-flung region in Africa or the Middle East. She’d be the least of his worries by now.
Telling herself it didn’t matter, she went back to work. She had two other assistants helping out and that did a lot to minimize the workload. So when one of her other friends, Janice, showed up and insisted on taking her out to lunch to hear the juicy details, Anna didn’t feel too guilty. In fact, she was kind of looking forward to talking about it with someone who could relate.
Janice was a bit like her; somewhat reserved but then when she fell in love with her tattooist boyfriend, she started growing out of her shell. She’d even gone as far as to get some ink, a really cute butterfly tattoo close to her left ankle.
“I’m all ears,” Janice began with a giggle as they settled in to eat at the outdoor restaurant they’d chosen. “For starters, what on earth came over you?”
Anna shrugged. “It’s just like I told Bertha earlier when she rang…I got a real kick from acting spontaneous for once. No one to answer to; nothing to fear. It was fun. I don’t plan on seeing him again, so…yeah, it was liberating doing something just for the hell of it.”
“I can only imagine.” Janice sighed, and then was staring at her. “You even look different. You seem changed. I can’t put my finger on it, but…”
Anna was grinning, biting into the straw through which she was sipping her drink. “If I’d known the benefits of a night of hot, repeated sex, I’d have tried it long ago,” she said impishly, a blush stealing over her cheeks. “And the fact that Hawk seemed to fit the perfect image of my dream guy was so…”
She paused, a thought suddenly occurring to her. She frowned, and Janice looked at her in concern. “What is it, Anna?”
Anna shook her head. “It was just something Bertha said earlier – about Hawk being a Marine. I never told her that was what he did. How could she know?”
Janice looked uncomfortable. “Maybe Hawk mentioned it when he was introducing himself. You know he was at our table.”
“Yes – for like ten seconds,” Anna said slowly. “I don’t remember him saying anything directly to you guys.”
“Well, he does look pretty um...gym-hard. And that haircut. Anyone would easily mistake him for being in the military.” Janice was shifting in her seat by now and paying much more attention to her food.
“But she didn’t just think he was in the military. She said “Marine” and sounded pretty sure about it,” Anna murmured thoughtfully. And then she remembered that Bertha’s brother was also a Marine. Why did it feel like everything started to seem so weird?
She glanced up at Janice, and became aware of the other woman’s inability to look her in the eye. Anna’s f
rown deepened.
“Well, what matters is that you had fun,” Janice said airily, forking in morsels of food fast. “I mean, that’s all that really counts right? Not like you plan on seeing him again or anything.”
“Why do I feel like you know something I don’t?” Anna asked her suspiciously. She always seemed to know when Janice was hiding something from her. Of all her friends, Janice was the one who could never really stand up under pressure.
And then Anna remembered a particular conversation she and Bertha had shared a week ago. When Anna had really been down in the dumps over Aaron and Bertha had told her he wasn’t worth her tears. “You are so wonderful, Anna, and Aaron just doesn’t deserve you. You’re much too full of life to be tied down to someone like him. You need a man who’ll make you feel like a real woman. Someone who fits your perfect fantasy.”
“Where am I going to meet someone like that?” Anna had replied ruefully. “I’m hardly the social butterfly. And for some reason, I can’t seem to attract the smoking-hot types.”
“That’s because you’ve never really taken the effort to shine. Stop hiding behind your mousy clothes,” Bertha had teased.
“Was I really that bad?” Anna said, making a good-natured face.
“No; but you can do so much better. In fact, I can almost bet that you’ll have hot guys all over you now that you’re free to really be yourself. Why don’t you come out with us next week and see how it goes?’
Anna now broke out of that memory and pinned her eyes on the uneasy looking Janice, who smiled weakly back at her. By this time, Anna was definite something was up. And it wouldn’t take much, she knew, to get the truth out of jumpy Janice…
Chapter Thirteen
The last person Hawk expected to see when he opened the front door was Anna.
To his surprise, she shrugged her way in, and he was still too amazed to say much. Amazed, but happy. He didn’t know what was going on but one thing was for sure, she looked like she was spoiling for a fight.
“Hey babe,” he said huskily, drinking in how good she looked in that flouncy skirt and boots, her top and sweater molding lovingly to her ample curves. Thinking how it was just hours she’d spent the night with him in this same home was enough to give him ideas. Ideas he’d been half-convinced he should not continue to nurse in her regard.
“Don’t call me babe,” she gritted out, hands fisted on her hips. “I know all about Bertha putting you up to flirting with me. Making me feel happy and oh-so-attractive after my break-up.”
Oh, shit, not now, Hawk thought somewhat despairingly. This wasn’t exactly the way he’d expected the news to get broken to her. And it was certainly the worst of times. He barely had two hours to report to base; his commander had just called them in for a tactical mission about to go down. He’d already had a bag packed and should be on his way but not with Anna looking spitting mad at him right then.
“Who told you? Bertha?” he asked quietly, in the hope of calming her down.
“She let something slip and I found out the rest from another friend that was there that night,” Anna said furiously. “I can’t believe I didn’t see right through your act! All that romantic dancing, staring into my eyes like I was the only girl in the room…”
“You were,” Hawk said softly, taking her hand in a firm grip as he looked down into her scowling face. “I walked in that night and forgot everything else but you. Anna…”
“Oh god I feel like such an idiot!” she cried, snatching her wrist from his hold. “I should have known it was too good to be true. You were too good to be true. Nothing about last night was real, was it? It was all just some kind of morale-boost for poor little me. I guess I should be glad I got a hot night of sex from it.”
Hawk sighed angrily. “Look Anna, I’m sorry. Okay? I’m sorry I ever got mixed up in Bertha’s silly scheme. I guess I started out doing it for a laugh. Helping a best friend’s sister out with her best friend. I never dreamed I’d start to get in deeper than I planned.”
“You can say that again,” Anna muttered, laughing with self-derision. “You got in deep all right. I mean, I practically just fell into your web like the idiot I am. You fed me the words I wanted to hear…you touched me just the right way, and I foolishly believed you. I believed everything you said to me.”
Hawk was finding it harder to rein in his temper. “Stop, Anna. Please. You know it was just a harmless –“
“Harmless? You jerk,” Anna breathed, obviously fighting back tears. “I let you take me home…I let you fuck me more times than I could count in one night – and none of that would ever have happened if you weren’t set up to play fake admirer with me. Do you know how that makes me feel? Oh God I really, really hate you right now, Hawkins Malone for - ”
Hawk didn’t let her finish. He moved so fast she didn’t have time to even blink. She was backed up against the wall so hard the breath was knocked out from her. Before she could thump at him with her fists, he lifted them high above her head. And then he kissed her. Swooped down for a deep, searching kiss that gave her no room for denial.
She struggled for some moments but then he managed to slip past her defenses with his hot, seeking tongue. He groaned into her soft, giving lips, feeling her body’s curves push against him as she fought not to respond. Tried to turn her face away but Hawk slanted his head to capture her deliciously swollen mouth again and again.
She was melting; he could feel it. Unwillingly, true; but she wasn’t struggling so hard against him. Keeping one hand wrapped around both her wrists, he slipped his free hand down her back to cup her ass, shoving her tightly into his full length.
“You feel that, babe?” he rasped, grinding his lower body into her as he kept her pinned against him. His erection was already thick and hard as a plank. “Could I fake that? Or this?”
She was staring widely up at him as he released her hands, guiding one to his shirted chest where his heart beat somewhat wildly. He saw her lick her bruised-looking lower lip, and he let out a low growl, a pulse ticking in his chiseled jaw as he looked down into her face with his eyes blazing. “Just don’t pretend you don’t know what you do to me. Anna, you’re a beautiful, sexy-ass woman. How can you even doubt that I’m attracted to you?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, her eyes defiant as she shook her head at him. “I don’t…”
“What, Anna? Say it. You don’t want me? Or that you’re too mad at me to let me take you right here, right now? Because I know that’s exactly what you want me to do,” Hawk said hardily, his gaze sweeping over her face, neck and chest. “Your breasts feel heavy right now, don’t they? They want me to grab them, take them in my mouth one by one. And your pussy…it’s already as wet for me as it was all through last night. Want me to check and prove myself right?”
“No, Hawk…stop…”
“Ah, babe…you have to sound more convincing than that,” he rumbled, ignoring her soft words. Keeping her back wedged against the wall, he reached right under her skirt for her panties, and yanked.
He heard her gasp of surprise and arousal. Her panties were now nothing more than tatters which he flung aside.
Sure enough, his fingers soon probed between her trembling thighs and found her folds soaked and soft with need. He leaned close to pluck at her tantalizing lips, stroking on her clit and making a moan spill out of her throat.
“This feels so real, babe,” he told her, sliding two fingers up her slippery pussy, his booted foot kicking her legs further apart. She was clutching his shirt and staring at him partly with anger, partly with dark, molten lust. He finger-fucked her deep, filling the hallway with sounds of her honey-slick wetness.
“And this…” ‘This’ was his mouth kissing her; hot stinging kisses. He heard her low whimpers as she threw her head back when he began to trail his mouth hungrily down her neck. Her scent and taste maddened him; made him lose his hold on reality for a second.
“Damn, I need you so bad. I’ve got to have you. Or I’l
l lose my fucking mind.” Hawk freed his cock with one hand while the other didn’t stop finger-shafting her deliciously tight and wet pussy.
Fuck! It felt so good jabbing into that slick cunt. But now he wanted to plant more of himself into her than just his fingers. Lifting one of her legs to wrap around his waist, he pushed her skirt higher. She held on tight to his shoulders, bracing herself against the wall as he slipped his fingers out of her to guide the tip of his cock to her entrance.
Hawk got his tip coated in the wetness at her slit, his gaze fastened on her flushed, beautiful face. Her eyes were heavy-lidded, almost shutting as she groaned each time he rubbed his crown back and forth along her opening. Hawk knew he couldn’t keep tormenting her – and himself. He was ready to rip right into her and yet, he wanted something more.
“Look at me, babe. Open your eyes,” he commanded, and saw the bright orbs snap open. Satisfied, he hefted her leg higher up his waist and then probed her pussy with his cock. He kept his eyes pinned on her face, not wanting to miss any expression as he slipped just inside the entrance of her juicy-wet cunt. And then, with a forceful thrust, he plunged deep inside her.
Anna was so wet that he sunk in more than halfway with his granite hard cock. So hot, so tight…so fucking sweet. Anna felt so good the way she gripped on his cock, her body shuddering as with a second stroke, he rammed in as far as he could go. Nothing but his balls remained outside her pussy and he watched as her pupils dilated, her mouth parting in a soundless “O” as she stared into his gaze.
He could feel her fingers fisting up small tufts of his short hair, tugging hard, making his scalp tingle. He drew back right to the tip of his cock and then lunged in once more. This time she cried out his name. And didn’t seem ready to stop. Quickly, he seized her mouth with his and then locked both her legs around his waist as he held her up against the wall and drove in.
The Alpha's Touch Boxed Set (14 Book Bundle) Page 69
