A Sure Thing

by Marie Harte

  “How about that spanking now? Are you sorry yet?”

  “I’m sorry I let you do this to me,” she bit out. “Okay, okay,” she said in a hurry when he started to draw back. “I’m sorry. I need discipline.”

  “Yes, you do,” he practically purred. “You want it, baby?”

  She groaned, broken, needy, and falling hard for the stubborn SOB. “I want you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “That’s right. Me.” He nudged her thighs wider.

  “Do I need to turn over?” How he thought a spanking might be sexy, she wasn’t sure. She’d never been into pain, and she trusted him not to hurt her. But maybe his kink was spanking. His arousal would surely increase hers.

  “Not at all.” The amusement should have warned her, but when his hand came down, she was shocked into silence.

  For all of a second.

  The second gentle “slap” to her clitoris sent her over the edge. She screamed in surprise and ecstasy as her body splintered into a million pieces.

  “That’s it. You’re getting me all wet, sweetheart,” she heard him say from a distance.

  She couldn’t think as she tried to process so much pleasure.

  And then he was there, shoving inside her, and she shivered and came harder. Again and again.

  “Fuck. That’s it. Grab me tight. Squeeze me. Ava,” he shouted and pumped into her. Her orgasm spurred his own, because he continued to grind into her before he finally ceased moving.

  They lay panting together, him on top, and she stroked his shoulders, still amazed this strong man could surrender to her the way he did. He’d been in charge, yes, but at the end, he always released into her. Pushed past his endurance by her warmth, her snug fit.

  “What’s that look?” he asked, his voice husky.

  Before she could answer, he kissed her. The slow, passionate yet tender kiss melted her.

  “What’s that kiss?” she asked on a breath.

  He stared into her eyes, his body still joined with hers. “You have seriously ruined me, you know that?”

  “How did I do that, Major?” she teased and caressed the nape of his neck.

  He closed his eyes in pleasure, then opened them to glare down at her. Except the glare wasn’t real. She saw the mirth he tried to hide. “You’re a menace. You seem soft, pliable. But you’re not. You make me think I’m in charge, but then you hold me.” He paused to gasp when she clenched her body down tight. “And you clamp down around me. I come so hard in you, Doc. So fucking hard.” He kissed her again, still so gently. “I want to fuck you, and I want to protect you. I think about you all the time.”

  His confession startled her, because he was admitting what she’d been feeling. She said nothing, however, letting him get it all out. “Doc, I’m not a fan of lying or hiding things. Yeah, I’m not big on sharing feelings.” He sneered. “Seriously? You do tend to talk things to death.”

  “Hey.” She frowned.

  “But I have to say I’m falling for you.”

  Her heart raced. She stared at those eyes, still dark despite the usual honey gold that stared back at her. She saw those eyes day and night, in her dreams, wishing he was near.

  “Nothing to say, huh?” He didn’t look upset. “That’s okay. I see that same whacked-out expression I get when I think of you. It’s scary, isn’t it?”

  “What’s scary?” She dared him to admit the feeling.

  “You tell me.”

  Of course he wouldn’t. Not Landon “Emotions Are for Pussies” Donnigan.

  She sighed. “You know.”

  “Maybe I do, and maybe I want my girlfriend to meet me halfway.” He pushed farther inside her, still half-hard. Then he started to withdraw, and she tried to keep him inside her by drawing down her inner muscles.

  He surged back inside her in one deep thrust.

  She felt him all the way to her throat. “Landon.” She clawed at his shoulders, wanting more.

  “Halfway, Ava.”

  “It makes no sense. We’ve only been out a few times.”

  “Nine by my count.”

  “Eight,” she said to be contrary.

  “Could be ten, technically, if we call my parents and dinner nine, and this fuckfest ten.”

  She colored. “Fuckfest? Really?”

  “I’m balls deep inside you. I’ve come so hard already, and I’m gonna do it again real soon.” He started moving. “But first you’re going to tell me you feel this too.”

  “Whatever this is,” she conceded.

  “Yeah. This.” He thrust faster, harder. And like their previous play, he worked her into a serious lather before finding his pleasure once more.

  She added unselfish to her list of must-haves, not sure when her list had started to revolve around Landon, instead of Landon having to fit her ideal man.

  * * *

  An hour later, she lay in his arms, soothed by his heartbeat and the breadth of muscle holding her safe and tight.

  “You always smell like flowers.” He sniffed her hair, and she smiled against his chest. “Ava, I really like you. Your dirty talk and your shrinkiness. I even like your cousins.”

  “Don’t lie. I can take it. Sadie’s a handful,” she teased.

  “But not Elliot? Seriously?”

  “You have me there.”

  They both laughed, before Landon said in a more sober tone, “I know what you did for Gavin. You want to help him, because that’s who you are. You help people.”

  “Yeah? So how am I helping you? And if you say one thing about ‘draining your snake’ again, I’m going to remove your chest hair piece by piece.”

  He slapped a hand over her fingers and chuckled, the rumble low against her ear. “You make me feel good. Feel needed.”

  That was surprising. “You’re already needed.”

  “Kind of. But you’re different.”

  She had to see him. Ava leaned up on her hands to see his face. The square jaw, the stubble on that stubborn chin. He had such intense eyes, always focused on hers. “Tell me.”

  He cupped her cheek, and she saw emotions flare in his gaze. “My family needs help to get along. Landon to the rescue. My boss needs someone with brass balls to keep his people in line, and there I am. But you need me for me.”

  “For you?”

  He nodded and caressed her cheek. “You want me to be strong, because that’s who I am. And you’re happy with me taking care of you, here, in bed. When you come, I feel ten feet tall. And when I come in you, I feel like I’m more than me.” He sighed. “That sounds stupid. See why I don’t like sharing my feelings? It’s douchey.”

  “No, it isn’t,” she was quick to forestall him. “Landon, you’re important to me. In a way I’m not sure of. I don’t need you.”

  He frowned.

  “But I want you, and I find myself wanting to need you.”

  His slow smile warmed her. “Is this where I say you complete me?”

  “Do it and I’ll give you a real purple nurple,” she warned.

  He laughed. “Ava, you’re so funny. Pretty and smart. But your lists… They need to go.”

  “What?”

  “You don’t need some moron with seven degrees who wears Gucci loafers. You should have a real man who’ll be there for you when you need him.”

  “And that’s you?”

  “It can be. If you want it to be.” He pulled her down and kissed her. “Now stop talking and get some rest. I know you have patients in the morning. And we have a self-defense class to get to tomorrow night. Last one of the session, so make it count.” He hugged her. “I can’t go easy on you, or people will talk.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah. I have a rep to protect. If I can’t kick my own girlfriend’s ass, what good am I?”

  “You’re so full of it.”
<
br />   “No, baby, that would be you. Have I told you how much I love not wearing condoms?”

  She sighed. “Too many times to count.”

  “Well, here’s one more. I love not wearing a condom.” He sounded so chipper she didn’t have the heart to chastise him for sliding inside her once more. Nor did she have the energy to disagree with him.

  “I love you not wearing one too,” she said sleepily and closed her eyes. Almost as much as I’m coming to love you, Major Bossy.

  Chapter 17

  Landon watched Ava sweep Sadie’s leg and throw her to the mat, then give a foot stomp close to her cousin’s head.

  “Not bad. Faster next time,” he critiqued and moved to another pair.

  Gavin also threaded through the crowded room, correcting forms and encouraging the participants. Their brief self-defense classes had come to an end, and to his surprise, they had as many attendees tonight as they had when they’d started. His sister, unfortunately, hadn’t shown up tonight. Landon planned on talking to her about that.

  A glance at the clock overhead told him he needed to wrap things up.

  “Thank you all for coming. If you’re interested, let Mac know, and we’ll see about having another session in a few weeks, after tax season,” he announced, mentally getting his shit in gear before he made an appointment to see his accountant.

  Groans and moans filled the room.

  “I hear you.” Landon chuckled.

  “Remember, ladies,” Gavin added, “your first thought in a fight-or-flight case should be flight—run for help and get somewhere safe. All of what we’ve shown you should be used only in a worst-case scenario. Make sure you continue to practice so it’s second nature should you need it. Now get out of here and have a great weekend.”

  Many women flocked to Gavin for extra help. To Landon’s amusement, Michelle, Gavin’s Valentine’s Day squeeze, was one of them.

  He ignored his brother’s pleading expression for help and had nearly reached Ava when Claudia stepped in his path.

  Damn.

  She’d been quiet since their run-in two weeks ago. Attending and following along, but not trying to engage with him. Except for one or two phone calls he’d ignored. Apparently he’d run out of good luck.

  “Great class.” She smiled up at him.

  “Thanks.” He tried to keep going, but she refused to move, and the crowd was slow to disperse on this side of the room.

  “Landon, can we talk?” Her eyes grew watery.

  Shit.

  He spotted Ava over Claudia’s shoulder. She didn’t seem to like him talking with Claudia, but what could he do? He didn’t want to hang with her either, but she seemed in genuine distress.

  “Sure.” He followed her to a corner of the room not occupied by a group of ladies. “Claudia?”

  Tears fell. “I miss you.”

  “Claudia, we talked about this. It’s over. Hell, it’s been over for months.”

  “I can’t help it.” Her breath hitched. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to go on, but we were so good together.”

  Fortunately, the room started to clear. So at least they wouldn’t have a scene. He couldn’t care less about himself, but he knew Claudia would be embarrassed later, and Ava didn’t like being the center of attention.

  “Problem?” came a light, inquisitive voice. Always calm, unless she was begging for an orgasm.

  He glanced over his shoulder to see Ava and Sadie. Ava didn’t look too pleased, but Sadie wore a big-ass grin. Behind them, Gavin untangled himself from Michelle and darted over, the wide smile on his face annoying in the extreme.

  “Gavin, get them out of here.” He nodded to the rest of the room paying them some attention.

  While Gavin cleared them out, Michelle included, Landon turned back to the scene at hand.

  “I don’t know what he sees in you,” Claudia said to Ava with disdain.

  Ava blinked. “Okay. Interesting. Are we supposed to duke it out? Is that what this is? A blatant display of feminine idiocy over a man?”

  Claudia frowned.

  So did Landon. “Hold on. Are you saying it’s stupid to want to fight over someone you care about?”

  “Fight for, you mean,” Sadie added.

  “Yeah, fight for. Thanks.”

  Ava glared at her cousin, then at Landon. “Well?”

  “Are you asking me?” He snorted. “Hell, Ava, I don’t know. I didn’t ask Claudia to get all weepy. You got a problem? Talk to her.”

  He stepped back, curious to see what she’d do.

  Claudia clenched her fists by her sides. Ava shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest, as if bored.

  Claudia stared from Ava to Landon. “I’m confused.”

  So am I.

  “I’m not.” Sadie waited. “This is Ava’s way of letting you know it’s your call,” she said to him.

  “Yeah?”

  “You either take up with thunder-breasts or you don’t.”

  Gavin choked at the description.

  “What did you call me?” Claudia shrieked.

  One lady walking by paused at the doorway, watching with wide eyes. Christ.

  “Look. It was either that or thunder-tits,” Sadie was saying, “and I thought that might be a little too crass.”

  Ava groaned. Gavin laughed out loud, then muffled his mirth when Claudia glared his way.

  Landon didn’t know what to think. Claudia had never seemed so emotional or clingy when they’d first started hooking up. Hell, it had been her idea for a friends-with-benefits relationship in the first place. But now she acted as if she might die if he didn’t attach himself to her permanently.

  The thought made him ill.

  Claudia looked like she might make a move on Sadie, and Landon didn’t know if he should step in or let them battle it out. Would Ava fight for him? Why did the thought of her doing so get him hot and bothered? A glance at her showed her looking removed from the situation.

  What the hell?

  “Why aren’t you handling this?” he said to Ava, irritated she didn’t seem to want to claim him as her own.

  “I shouldn’t have to. Intelligent women don’t battle over a lover. He makes his choice, she accepts it.” Ava gave Claudia a disdainful once-over. “Then again, I did say intelligent, didn’t I?”

  Claudia rushed Ava, and the realization Ava could be hurt shocked him into moving. But before he could interfere, Sadie stepped in front of him. “Not your fight, remember?”

  “But…” He watched as Claudia took Ava to the mat. Oh hell. Claudia had some weight and height over Ava. And she’d just grabbed onto Ava’s silky ponytail.

  He cringed and tried to go around Sadie, but she’d reemployed her anaconda hold.

  “What the hell, Landon?” Gavin sounded disappointed. “Quit flirting with Sadie and help your girlfriend.”

  “I’m not flirting, asshole. Sadie, get off.” She was worse than a tick and way too curvy to get a handle on. He worried about grabbing her in the wrong spot.

  On the floor, Ava and Claudia rolled around. Had this not been a scene between his current girlfriend and his ex-lover, he might have been entertained, like Gavin, watching with glee. But Ava needed him, and he couldn’t stand the thought of her being hurt.

  Even in his wildest dreams—okay, maybe only there—he never would have imagined buttoned-up Dr. Ava Rosenthal rolling around on a gym mat wrestling with another woman over him.

  Damn. I really am the man.

  “Get off me, you crazy woman,” Ava snarled.

  A loud slap froze everyone, even Claudia and Ava on the ground.

  Landon gaped at the sight of a hand print on Ava’s cheek.

  “Are you kidding me?” Ava sounded beyond annoyed. “You hit me!”

  “Uh-oh.” Sadie slowly climbed dow
n his body. “Not good.”

  “You’d lower yourself, degrade yourself, for a man who clearly rejected you?” Ava huffed. “Have some pride, woman. Quit relying on sex and forced intimacy to avoid your insecurities. Of course you lost his respect and his attention. You don’t care about yourself, so why should he?”

  Claudia’s anger turned to sniffles, and then real tears. But before he could help her or Ava to their feet, he watched in shock as Ava socked Claudia a good one in the gut before standing.

  Claudia moaned and held her belly.

  “That’s for the slap in the face, bitch.”

  Where the hell has this woman been hiding? He wanted to take her home and pay homage to her mind, body, and soul by professing his undying devotion. Man, Ava had layers, sure as shit. He couldn’t wait to peel through them all.

  She glared down at Claudia. Before Ava could drop-kick the woman into the wall, Landon stepped in.

  Mac rushed into the room, obviously alerted to the fight by that interfering woman in the doorway. “What the hell happened?”

  “I’ll tell you what happened.” Ava tried to move, but Landon held her fast. She kept swinging her fists in agitation, so he grabbed those too. Then, in a super calm voice, she explained, “This woman attacked me, trying to get ‘her man’ back.” She tilted her head, gesturing toward him. “Pathetic. Claudia, get some help. Your unhealthy obsession with Landon is bordering on stalkerish. And if you strike me again, so help me, I’ll do some damage the best plastic surgery in the world won’t fix.”

  Claudia cried harder and got to her feet with Mac’s and Gavin’s help.

  Ava seemed spitting mad, despite her composure. He glanced at Sadie, but she only shrugged and stared at Ava as if she’d never seen her before.

  “Uh, Mac? Can we use your office?” Landon asked.

  “Yeah, go ahead. Gavin and I will handle Claudia.” He sounded stern.

  With any luck, he’d kick the woman out on her ass. Granted, Landon was one hunk of man, so he understood her fascination. But come on. He’d clearly broken off with her over two months ago. And he’d told her he’d committed to someone else—that same someone else she’d smacked in the face.

  He still couldn’t believe it. A real catfight between two sober women. He would have been titillated had he not been so worried about Ava’s sudden serenity. She made him think of a powder keg about to explode.