by Jen Talty
She raised her hand and poked her index finger in the center of his chest. “Don’t you ever touch me like that again. And care about me? You don’t even know me.”
He grabbed her hand and placed it over his heart. “I know enough that I want to know more. Hell, I want to know everything, but I’m not going to get a chance if I’m pulling your dead body from the bottom of the intercoastal.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond as he meshed his mouth with hers.
He knew he sounded over the top and crazy regarding his wanting to explore something with her, as well as his theory of Ferro’s goon wanting to kill or at least maim her. He’d gone from wanting to avoid her at every turn, to never wanting to ever leave her side. Of course, part of that was due to the fact he knew without a doubt, whoever Nally and Santoro turned out to be, they worked for Ferro.
And Ferro would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.
Ace gripped her hips as he parted her lips with his tongue in search of hers. She greeted him tentatively as her fists came down his shoulders. He expected her to shove him away, but instead, her fingers dug into his skin and glided over his shoulders and down the middle of his back.
As the kiss became a dance between wild animals, his hands roamed her body, starting under her shirt, feeling the curves of her back, enjoying how she arched as if he’d found that one spot that tickled. He rubbed his palms over her firm ass before cupping the back of her thighs and hoisting her off her feet, setting her butt on the counter and pressing himself between her legs.
Wanting to feel skin on skin, he curled his fingers over the bottom of her shirt. He pried his lips from hers as he yanked the fabric over her head. Her chest heaved up and down with every raspy breath.
He caught her gaze and smiled at the lust he’d put in her molten eyes. His fingers found the hooks on the back of her bra and with little effort, unfastened the garment, enjoying how her pupils dilated as her eyes widened with a combination of shock and delight.
Kissing her neck, he let the straps fall off her shoulders. If he were being a gentlemen, he’d ask her if she wanted him to stop or if it were too soon. Especially since they hadn’t even had dinner, or a date, much less spend any real time together. But here he was, kissing his way down her collarbone, his index finger pushing the lacy fabric down, exposing the perfect, round nipple.
He should be slowing down, taking his time, but that thought left his brain the moment he sucked her tight nub into his mouth, devouring her like a wild beast who didn’t know the art of lovemaking.
The way her hands thread through his hair encouraged him to explore more, kissing his way down her stomach. He pulled at the top of her jeans with his teeth, glancing up at her.
He groaned as she bit down on her lower lip and pressed her fingers against the button on her pants, easily undoing it. He swallowed watching her fingers lower the zipper, revealing white lacy panties.
“Bedroom,” he managed to ground out as he stood, cupping her ass and wrapping her legs around his waist.
“Up the stairs, second door on the right.” She wiggled against him, smiling, knowing exactly what she was doing to him.
“You’re going to pay for that.”
“God, I hope so.”
He strolled to the steps, doing his best not to stagger as he climbed them, holding her body tight so her skin touched his.
“This is crazy,” he whispered as he kicked open the door. “You’re home for how long?” He laid her on the bed as gently as he could without ripping their bodies apart.
“A week. Maybe two.”
He kneeled between her legs, shimming her shorts and panties over her hips, almost hoping that his better judgment would kick in before she lay gloriously naked under the moon light filtering in through the window. “So, this is just a one night stand kind of thing.”
She rose up on her elbows, hands covering her breasts. “Can we please not classify this and get it with on it before I remember I’m really ticked off at you. Not to mention I don’t even know…”
He yanked her shorts to her ankles, nearly pulling her off the bed.
“Whoa.”
“You told me to get on with it.” As he undid the button and zipper on his shorts, staring down at what had to be the most gorgeous woman in the world with her dark complexion, silky skin, and brazen eyes, his hands trembled and his heart pounded in his chest. He shouldn’t be doing this and he was about to take a step back when she batted his hands away and jerked his clothes to his ankles.
Choking on his breath he tried to collect his gentlemen qualities when she grabbed him, holding him in her soft hands as her pink tongue flicked out over the tip of him.
“Jesus,” he muttered, gently pushing her hair aside. His chest rising and falling with his raspy, desperate breath as he stared at her as she caressed and teased him to the point his vision blurred and his thighs grew weak. It took all his control not to press her head further onto him, though she certainly didn’t need any encouragement as he watched himself disappear inside her hot mouth.
He tugged at her hair, yanking her head back. “Come here,” he commanded, bringing her to a standing position. He took her chin between his forefinger and thumb, tilting her head. “You ready to scream with pure pleasure?” Lifting her leg, placing her foot on the bed, he cupped her womanhood, groaning at the wetness lining his palm.
“I don’t scream, or beg. Just for the record.”
“I think I can change that.” Gliding his finger over her opening, circling her tender lips, he did his best to contain his primal desire to take her with force.
Her hands gripped his shoulders while he at first, slowly stroked her insides, feeling her tighten around his fingers. The way her body responded to his touch brought the blood in his veins to a boil.
As he slipped two more fingers into her wet folds, her moans turned to desperate guttural groans. Her hips rolled against his hand. He bent over, sucking on one of her nipples and more hot, creamy liquid poured over his hand.
“Oh, my, God,” she whispered in a deep, husky voice.
He sucked harder and fingered faster. His need to make her orgasm so strong is all that mattered.
“Yes!” Her hips jerked.
He released her nipple, kissing the underswell of her breasts. “Come on Lexi, come for me.” Curling his fingers inside her, he stroked her a few more times, before pulling his hand out, rubbing her swollen nub, then starting the movement all over again.
“Oh… Oh… God.” Her moan echoed through the room
The power that came with making a woman orgasm with just his hand had always been intoxicating, but with Lexi?
He lost all power and succumbed to her desires and wishes.
“Do you want it like this?” He kissed his way up her neck. “Tell me what you want, Lexi.”
Her fingers dug into his shoulders, her body rocking back and forth. “Like this. Now,” she cried out, cupping his face.
She clenched down over his fingers and squeezed her legs together.
“Oh…. Fuck… Ace!”
A sense of pride filled his gut. “I told you I’d make you scream. Now let’s see about making you beg.”
She cocked her head, smiling like a wicked little witch. When her lips brushed his, he knew he was in for a ride of a lifetime. “You’re the one who is going to be begging.”
“Oh really.” He arched a brow, intrigued and totally turned on by the banter. “And exactly how do you plan on making me beg?”
Her tongue parted his lips, swirling inside his mouth with a fiery passion that sent his body into a panic that he’d never get enough of.
Just as he wrapped his hands around her luscious body, she pushed away, climbing on the bed, maneuvering herself against the head board and propped up some pillows. “You have to stay there.”
“What?”
She smiled, raising one hand to her breast, pinching and tugging at her nipple. “You can’t move.” Next, she glided a hand down her firm sto
mach, rubbing her forefinger against herself, spreading her legs wide.
“Jesus Christ,” he mumbled, raising his hand to himself.
She waggled a finger at him. “You can’t touch yourself either.”
He dropped his hand to his side. “Tease me like that and I’m bound to climb on this bed and take you.”
“I’ll let you know when that would be acceptable.”
“Acceptable,” his voice cracked like a pimply-faced teenager as he watched her fingers dance over her womanhood.
Her soft moans tickled his skin. His breath hitched as he watched her bring herself pleasure.
“You’ve got maybe three more minutes before I’m on top of you.” He looked around the room. “Shit. I left my wallet downstairs.”
“Why do you need that?”
“Because that’s where I have a condom.”
She smiled, bringing her fingers to her lips, sucking them into her mouth slowly.
He growled.
“No worries. I have one.”
“Yeah. Where?” he asked right after he swallowed his breath.
“My overnight kit on the dresser behind you.”
“Keep doing that.” He waved his hand in the air as he stepped backward, careful not to take his eyes off her, admiring the glistening of her body, and learning from her how she touched herself. Not that he’d use it since the second he covered himself, he’d be all in and nothing would be able to stop him from taking her with raw and unabated force.
Goosebumps lined his skin and his body shivered. The way she stared at him as he ripped open the foil package with his teeth and swathed himself with the condom sent a warm tingle to all his nerve endings.
“Get on all fours.” He knelt on the foot of the bed. “This isn’t going to be pretty, or last very long, but I promise you’re going to have another orgasm.” God, he hoped he’d be able to make due on his promise.
“Demanding, aren’t you?”
“Are you going to do as I ask?”
She smiled, rolling over to all fours, positioning herself with her ass in the air, looking over her shoulder. For a second, he stopped breathing and his heart stopped beating. This should not be how one made love to a woman for the first time, especially when he cared about her.
And Ace honestly cared about Lexi.
Yet here he was, taking her like a sex starved animal.
He grabbed her hips, pulling her to him, entering her with one hard commanding stroke. Rocking back on his heels, he lifted her to him, giving his one hand access to her breasts, while his other hand rubbed her hard nub, making her moan, rocking her body against his.
Gritting his teeth, he did what he could to maintain control as their bodies intertwined in a primitive dance meant to call on all the sexual Gods.
Her arms reached over her head, circling around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder.
He continued to thrust, completely losing himself in her. “Please,” he begged. “For me, Lexi.”
She rolled her head, kissing his cheek, lowering a hand and covering his as she pressed it harder against herself, creating a friction so intense, his body ignited in a hot, electric flame.
“Oh, yes,” she said softly as she quivered at his touch, her climax spilling out over him in a hot wave.
He could no longer contain himself as he pumped inside her, growling as he let his release spill out inside her, her body still reeling from her orgasm. “Oh, God, Lexi,” he whispered. “You make me crazy.”
“And I made you beg.”
He let out a small laugh as he continued to slowly stroke the side of her before shoving her stomach down on the bed and collapsing on top of her, totally spent. The actual act of sex didn’t last very long, but the effects continued to linger while he tried to catch his breath.
“You begged,” she cooed, her hands reaching around him, squeezing his thighs.
He chuckled. “I did and you came again.”
“And again.”
He rolled to his side, pulling her body against his. “Give me ten minutes and I could do it again.”
She popped her head up. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what…” he looked out the window. “You mean tires against gravel?”
“Yeah. I think my mother is home.”
Chapter 5
LEXI STARED INTO ACE’S eyes as the reality of the situation sunk in. “She’s really home.”
“Shit.” He jumped out of bed so quickly he tripped over the tangled bedspread and fell to the floor.
She covered her mouth to stifle the fit of laughter that erupted from her lips.
“Not funny,” he mumbled as he hiked up his pants and looked around the room. “Where’s my shirt?”
“It’s downstairs, remember?”
“Right.”
“Just get down there before my mother gets to the porch. I’ll be down shortly.”
“What do I say about where you are?” He glanced between her and the window. His eyes wide with a confused glow.
“That I’m changing out of my dirty clothes.”
“That works.” He turned, heading for the door, but paused. “I’m sorry that ended as abruptly as it did. I’m usually the kind of guy who enjoys a good cuddle afterward. Maybe next time.”
She swallowed as he disappeared, the sound of his feet hitting the floorboards beat with her pounding heart.
What the hell had she just let happen?
One minute she’s arguing with a control freak, the next minute she’s got her mouth where it doesn’t belong.
Her ex had been a power-driven prick in business and he turned out to be that way in their relationship, though she rarely put up with it. She’d been a free spirit most of her life, doing what she wanted, when she wanted to and not worrying too much about what others thought. That strong personality is what helped her get the hell out of this sleepy little sea-side town.
But that drive and determination that went with it facilitated the demise of a career she ended up resenting, and a boyfriend she didn’t like, bringing her back home and into the arms of a stranger who gave her the most incredible burning desire to take a chance on him.
And her hometown.
No!
The idea that Ace thought there could be a next time sent a heat wave across her skin.
This had to go down as the dumbest, most reckless thing she’d ever done next to the day she and a few friends climbed onto one of the customer’s million dollar yachts and partied like rock stars her senior year of high school.
That didn’t end well, and she suspected whatever this thing with Ace is wouldn’t end well either.
Besides, he was still pinning after a dead girl.
Hearing the front door slam shut, she slinked out of bed, her thigh and foot throbbed, while her body, drenched in the after effects of sex, tingled with unadulterated passion.
“Lexi, honey?” her mother’s voice bellowed up the stairs.
“I’m coming.” Lexi sucked in a deep breath as she ran her fingers through her hair, making sure it was smooth and didn’t look like she’d just gotten out of bed. She took tentative steps, telling herself it was because her wounds hurt, but the reality was, she didn’t want to face the man downstairs.
Her mother greeted her at the bottom of the steps with open arms. “Come here, little one.”
Lexi rolled her eyes. God, how she hated when her mother called her that, and the last thing she needed was her mother hugging her so tight it took her breath away. As she eased into her mother’s arms, she stole a glance at Ace, who leaned against the kitchen counter next to an older gentleman that she recognized as Jefferson.
Ace’s lips were drawn into a tight, tense line until he caught her gaze, then he cracked a slight smile.
She couldn’t help it, she smiled back.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Her mother cupped her face, staring deep into her eyes.
“I’m fine. Really.”
“Thank God Ace an
d his friends were still here.”
She nodded as her mother took her by the hand and led her through the open family room into the kitchen. “We owe him a world of gratitude, again.”
“We sure do,” her mother said. “You remember Jefferson, don’t you dear.”
Jefferson had aged a little with a few extra pounds around the middle and salt and pepper hair, but he was still a handsome man.
“Good to see you again, though, I’m sorry about the circumstances,” Jefferson extended his hand.
“It’s been a crazy few days,” she admitted, taking a seat on the bar stool next to Ace, trying not to make it obvious that her knee was touching his thigh.
“I don’t like the idea of you two girls here alone,” Jefferson said, scratching the back of his head. “But my mother is eighty-nine and I can’t leave her alone too long.”
“They won’t be alone.” Ace rested his arm on the counter behind her back and while he didn’t touch her, her skin bristled with the heat he generated. “I will be staying here.” His voice had that same commanding tone he’d had on the docks earlier.
“That’s won’t be necessary.” She jerked her knee away and that didn’t go unnoticed by him.
“I think it’s a good idea. It would make me feel better,” Jefferson said.
“I hate to put you out like that, Ace,” her mother said.
“It’s not a problem. Even when I’m back at the base, I can stay here at night when I’m not on call.” Ace slide his hand across the countertop, his thumb gently touching her back.
She shifted.
“I’m going to call that friend about fixing and updating the security system,” Jefferson said, pulling out a stool for her mother. “Do the police have any leads? Any theories?”
Creating better security around the marina certainly was something Lexi could get on board with, but having a personal bodyguard wasn’t part of that package.
“Probably just some stupid kids drinking too much and doing something on a dare,” Lexi said, ignoring Ace’s scowl.
