by RC Boldt
I’m sure it makes me a coward, but I can’t bring myself to ask. I just want to pretend for a moment that I’m all he sees, that I’m all he wants. Because even having a fraction of Kane feels like more than I’ve ever had with anyone else.
Please don’t hurt me, I silently beg as my eyes skim over his handsome face.
“I don’t have anythin’.”
It takes a moment for his words to break through my thoughts. “Oh…um, I think Matty actually stuffed some in there.” I tip my head in the direction of the bedside table and attempt to laugh off the awkwardness. “He was certain I’d get birthday sex.”
He shakes his head, those gorgeous lips of his twitching at the edges. “Never thought I’d thank him for any of his stunts.”
Reaching out, he grabs a condom from the drawer, the muscles and veins in his arm mesmerizing me. He lifts to his knees and rips the packet open, then does something I never expected to be so erotic or captivating.
His eyes hold mine while he grips his hard length in his fist, giving a strong tug, and I see moisture gather in the slit. He drags his thumb over it before sheathing himself with the latex, smoothing it down his rigid arousal.
“I think I just orgasmed from that alone,” I whisper, half joking. “Well done.”
His lips curve upward, baring perfect white teeth in a rare hint of a smile, and I know it’s too late for me.
When this is over—and it will be because I’m a realist, and it does me no good to be ignorant of my track record with men—I’ll be destroyed. And for whatever reason, I already know that this man will leave more wreckage in his wake than any of the others.
But when he presses the tip of his cock to my entrance, blue eyes ever so watchful as he inches inside me, allowing me time to adjust to his thickness, I lose myself in the moment.
I’ll deal with the aftermath when the time comes. Right now, I’m going all in.
Because no man has ever regarded me like he has, no man has even held me beneath him and looked into my eyes while he pressed inside me as though I was something—someone—to cherish.
28
Kane
Her breath hitches as I inch deeper, and I swear her inner muscles are gripping me so damn tight my control barely hangs on by a thread.
I dip my head, grazing the shell of her ear with my teeth. She shudders, her inner muscles spasming in response to my touch. “Fuck, Simone.”
A huff of breath rushes past her lips. Her hips shift, and I slide even deeper, her nails digging into the muscles of my back as she arches into me. I’m trying to give her body time to adjust to me. Her pussy is so goddamn tight, I wasn’t sure she could take me.
I grit my teeth against the primal urge to rear back and thrust hard, to fuck her without an ounce of finesse. Instead, I gently run my teeth along the side of her neck before darting my tongue out to taste her. Her pussy gets slicker, and I bottom out, our combined gasps echoing in the silent room.
“You’re so deep.” Her words come out in harsh, ragged pants; a hint of wonder threaded in her tone as she grips my ass, urging me to move.
I withdraw slightly before driving back in, and her breathing quickens before she utters a whispered command of, “More.”
With my mouth on hers, our tongues wage their own war while I drive my cock in and out of her impossibly wet and snug pussy in deep, steady strokes. When I roll onto my back with her on top of me, Simone rises, heavy-lidded eyes watchful, and when she sinks down deeper, her mouth parts with a shaky breath, her nipples hardening even more.
I grip her hips, grazing her hip bones with my thumbs, and take in the sight of her. Her long hair drapes over her shoulders, her nipples are hard and rosy, her stomach flat, giving way to where her pussy’s secured around my cock. When she shifts, I can’t restrain a guttural moan at the sight of the shiny wetness she’s coating me with.
My fingers tighten their grip on her, and I guide her to rock against me. Bracing her palms on my chest, she leans forward, and I raise my head to capture a nipple. Suckling the hardened peak, I flick it with my tongue, and her movements become more hurried, more urgent. I reach between our bodies to circle her clit with the pad of my thumb. With a hand gripping her hip, I thrust upward, urging her on, silently encouraging her to take what she needs from me.
Only when she goes stiff seconds before her body is wracked with shudders, inner muscles clenching and releasing me, is when I let myself go. Hands cupping her firm ass, my upward thrusts are wild and rough, and I’m crazed with the need to bury myself impossibly deep. My orgasm barrels through me, stealing my breath, my vision blurring before I release in hot spurts deep inside her.
Holy fuck.
Soft fingertips trace a path along my bicep while Simone rests her head on my chest. When her hushed voice drifts to my ears with a, “How soon can we try that again?”, it takes a moment for her question to register.
I can’t contain my surprised laugh. “Reckon I’ll need a few minutes at least.” I peer down at the top of her head. “You did me in, woman.”
She shifts, raising her head to look at me, and I smooth back her hair, tucking it behind her ear. When she presses into my touch, something in my chest tightens in response.
Lowering her lips to mine, she dusts a light kiss to my mouth. “Let me know when you’re ready.” Simone slips off me, causing both of us to suck in a sharp breath at the loss of connection. She pads over to the bedroom door, naked and gorgeous as all get-out. Damn, that ass of hers… “I’m going to get a snack.”
Rising off the bed, I stride into the bathroom to toss the condom. Then I head to the kitchen just as she withdraws a smoothie from the fridge. The chilled air has her nipples puckering, and when she turns, setting the smoothie on the counter, she catches sight of me.
“Hey.” There’s a hint of nervousness in her voice. As if she’s unsure about us—this. She tries to cover it up by taking a drink. Condensation drips from the cup and lands on the top curve of one breast, and dammit, I’m unable to look away as gravity takes hold and it trickles down farther.
Without thinking, I reach out and catch it with my thumb, tracing an upward path of the trail of wetness. Her breath hitches, and she sets the smoothie down with a loud clatter.
I step closer, backing her against the small island, and dip my head to take her mouth. I don’t bother going slow; the kiss is deep, wet, and the taste of her combined with the sweetness of the smoothie makes me greedy for more.
Her nipples prod against my chest, and I lift her up, only breaking the kiss when she gasps at the cold surface of the countertop.
“Shit. Sorry,” I mutter, about to set her back on her feet, but she stops me. Widening her thighs, she tugs me closer, cinching her legs around my waist.
“Don’t.” Her gaze dips to my mouth, lips tilting up at the corners, voice husky. “You’ll just have to warm me up.”
With a glance at the smoothie, I dip two fingers inside the cup to gather the thick mixture and paint her nipples with it. Her body arches as she gasps at the coldness, but before she can voice a complaint, my mouth latches on to a peak, sucking the sweetness from that one, then moving to the other. Simone’s fingers thread through my hair, tightening, and it sends a surge of heat to my cock.
When I raise my head, our eyes lock, and she watches me gather more smoothie and paint it along the crease of her pussy. Her eyes glaze with lust, and I lower my face to lick and suck the sweet mixture from her, paying extra attention to her clit.
I ensure she’s clean of all remnants of the smoothie before driving my tongue deep inside her. Riding my face, thrusting her pussy against my tongue, Simone gasps my name a second before she comes apart. Her hips rock instinctively, arching into my touch as she coats my tongue and lips with her juices. It’s so fucking hot, I have to grip my cock tight to keep from shooting my load here and now.
She leans back on her elbows, breasts rising and falling with heavy breaths, and peers at me with an expression that looks like wonder. “You
don’t play fair.”
I tip my head to the side. “How so?”
A mischievous smile forms slowly, and she slips down from the counter with my assistance. “You didn’t let me have my way with you.”
She drops to her knees before I manage a response. Gripping my cock in her hand, she takes me deep in her hot, wet mouth, and my breath lodges in my chest. I thread my fingers through her hair and strain against the urge to thrust hard. Her lips glide up and down my length while she grips me tight in her fist.
When those eyes look up at me, and she draws back to trace her tongue along the slit of my cock, I nearly lose my goddamn mind. My fingers tighten their grip on her hair, and I struggle to draw in deep, steady breaths. To resist the temptation to fuck her mouth without a care.
She quickens her pace, rapidly sliding her mouth up and down my length, and it catapults me to the edge.
“Fuck,” I grit out between clenched teeth. “Simone, I’m gonna—”
Her moan and the vibrations from it ricochet through me, sending a rush of shivers down my spine moments before I lose control, and in three more thrusts, I release into her sweet, hot mouth. She takes it all, sucking me dry until I’m nearly boneless and have to lock my knees to stay upright.
Once Simone slides her mouth off my cock and slowly rises with a small, satisfied smile playing at her lips, I wonder how the hell I’m going to survive this woman.
Because she’s already snuck past my damn defenses.
29
Simone
“Fact or fiction: I’ve had a face lift.”
Kane shoots me a sharp look. “Fiction.”
I raise my eyebrows at him. “Are you sure?”
We’re in bed, although now we’re showered and clothed. Well…I’m more clothed than he is since I’m in a pair of shorts and a tank top, whereas Kane’s only wearing a pair of athletic pants.
And let me tell you, a shirtless Kane Windham is something to be admired. Ogled even.
“I’m sure.” His eyes are alight with a hint of amusement.
I lean over to plant a kiss on his lips as a reward. “Correct.” With a pause, I settle back against the pillow before continuing. “Fact or fiction: I’ve had work done.”
His eyes narrow. “Fiction.”
“Fact.”
A mixture of disbelief and surprise bleeds into his expression. “Really?”
I nod. “My teeth were the first change once I got signed with a label. Then my nose and chin. And I can’t lie.” I lift a shoulder in a half shrug. “I don’t regret it. It made me more confident. I’m not condoning overuse of cosmetic surgery, but if something bothers a person to such an extent, then so be it.”
I drop my gaze to the comforter, lost in thought. “Those physical changes helped me to tuck some of the old Simone away. The one who busked on the city streets of Atlanta before anyone gave me a chance to perform in the seediest of dive bars.”
A melancholy smile tugs at my lips. “I don’t forget where I came from or how hard I worked to get here, but I also don’t miss the struggle.” And the rejection. The worry that I wasn’t good enough to make music my career.
I flop onto my back and close my eyes. “Your turn.”
“Hmm.” He hums thoughtfully, silence lingering between us. “Fact or fiction: I was a cheater.”
My eyes fly open, and I whip my head around to stare at Kane. He calmly stares back, his expression laced with both vulnerability and recrimination.
The word sticks in my throat because I already know it’s true. Yet I can’t believe it—don’t want to. I just can’t reconcile this man with a cheater.
“Fact.” It comes out as the barest wisp of sound.
Holding my gaze, his lips pressing thin, voice weary. “Yeah.”
“The…woman you told me about?”
He nods, his jaw clenched tight.
Turning on my side, I prop my head in one hand and keep my tone gentle, hushed. The last thing I want is to spook him, especially when he’s opening up to me. “You don’t strike me as the type to do something like that.”
He rakes an agitated hand through his hair and focuses on the ceiling. “Lucia is…a beautiful woman.”
I ignore the deep lance of pain that ricochets within my chest at the mention of the woman who hurt him.
“Between her sass and her Colombian accent, I was head over heels in no time.” He exhales slowly. “She let me chase her for a bit before givin’ in. I knew her family still bought into the old-school way of things, but I thought after a while, they’d come to see how much I loved her, and that I’d do whatever it took to provide for her.”
I wait him out, watching his jaw work. “I didn’t realize she was actually engaged to someone else. I honestly thought it was just her family pressurin’ her to date this family friend. Then one night, I decided to lay it all out. I made dinner, played my guitar for her—”
“Wait,” I interrupt with surprise. “You play guitar?”
He rolls his head on the pillow to look at me, the edges of his mouth tipping up ever so slightly. “Yes, ma’am.”
I hold up a finger. “We’ll revisit that later. Sorry. Please go on.”
He draws in a breath before resuming. “I told her I loved her, and I wanted her to be a part of my future.”
A sick churning starts in the pit of my stomach, knowing this won’t be good.
“She got the ‘deer in the headlights’ look and backed away from me like I had the plague or some shit. Told me she couldn’t be with me. That she thought we were on the same page and havin’ fun before she had to follow through with her obligations.” He lets out a slow exhale. “Those obligations bein’ marryin’ another guy.”
Kane eyes me with caution. “Then she told me she was engaged.” His jaw clenches tight, eyes alight with anger. “The entire fuckin’ time we were together.” Nostrils flaring, he stares sightlessly at the wall. “She made me a goddamn cheater. A fool. And she knew that I prided myself on havin’ morals. That I never do that shit.”
The anguish in the depths of his blue gaze and etched on his features rips at my heart.
I lay a gentle hand on his bare chest, willing him to meet my gaze. Once he does, I whisper, “It wasn’t your fault. She did that. Not you.”
“I reckon I should’ve known better.” He practically forces out the words from between clenched teeth.
“Would you’ve still been with her if you’d known?”
“Hell no.”
His quick answer tells me everything. “Exactly.” I lower my head to dust a featherlight kiss to his lips. “You’re not a cheater, Kane.”
When I land another soft kiss, his lips aren’t quite as rigid beneath mine. “You’re a good man who was taken advantage of.” Another kiss has his mouth curving in acceptance, and he kisses me back. Leaning back to gaze down at him, I find his eyes are softer and not quite as harsh and cold.
“You believe that?” The hushed question is asked in a voice hoarse with emotion, and his tongue flicks out to wet his lips as if he’s nervous.
Kane, the man who’s surely landed more compelling achievements from his time in the military, is seeking approval from me, a woman who merely performs for a living. My heart lurches at the vulnerability in his words. Normally, this imposing man practically oozes self-confidence. I hate that this other woman has made him question himself.
I nod slowly, willing him to believe me. “I really do.”
When his palm slides to my nape, steering me lower to fit his mouth to mine, this kiss is different from the ones before. It’s softer, more tender than I expected.
Scarier still is that his kiss packs more emotion than any other I’ve been on the receiving end of. Instead of latching on to the fear, however, I choose to ignore it and give in to the heady need to show this man, this tough yet vulnerable man, how special he is. How good he is.
I show him with my kiss, with my touch. And when he thrusts deep inside me, our bodies joined in the
most intimate way, I realize that I’m showing him with something else.
My heart.
30
Kane
Tampa, Florida
Early August
“Holy crap.” Simone lets out a breathy laugh. “I’ll be honest. It was not supposed to be that fast of a spin at the end.”
Screaming fans go berserk, and she laughs again. “Whew! At least I didn’t mess up the lyrics, right?” Her red lips stretch wide into a smile. “Maybe it’s time to sit down for a sec. And what do you know?” Stagehands roll a piano and bench seat into place on stage for her. “Perfect! Thanks, Antonio. Thank you, Derek.”
She slides onto the bench seat and rolls her shoulders. “We have over three hundred and fifty people who travel with us for these shows, and without each of them, none of this would be possible.” Her fingers dance over the piano keys while she continues addressing the crowd much like she has at every other show she’s done so far.
“They help drive the trucks, the tour buses, help put up the stage and create this”—she gestures to the enormous, decorated stage—“and work on lighting, the pyrotechnics, the sound.
“Then there are my awesome backup singers and the magical ladies who do my hair and makeup and handle my outfits, our choreographer, the security, which can be a vast undertaking, those who tune the instruments, and who help me train so I can sing upside down and while spinning like a crazy person.”
Simone breaks off with a laugh. “You name it, these people helped to ensure this show wouldn’t be a complete amalgamation of nonsense.
“Not only do they deserve thanks, but also the people here working the concessions, selling merchandise, those directing traffic for parking, the crew who will break down the stage once this show’s over, and those who are responsible for cleaning up afterward.
“Can we please get a massive and heartfelt round of applause to thank all these incredible individuals?” The roar of applause rumbles through the stadium.
