Hard Tackle (A Stepbrother Warriors Novel)

by Loren, Celia

  I slowly move my hand up and glance at his face. His eyes close and his head tilts back slightly. When my hand is about to reach his tip, I move my head over and wrap my mouth around it.

  I know to keep my teeth tucked carefully behind my lips – that much I overheard in the girl's bathroom at school. I slowly move my mouth down, following my hand toward the base. I don't actually make it there, because his tip hits the back of my mouth and I can't take any more of him in. So I move back up, and at his tip again, I swirl my tongue around him. He groans as I hit the underside of his tip, so I flick my tongue back and forth there, delighted to have found a sensitive spot.

  I work my way back down again, and look up at his face as I continue. His jaw is clenched, and he's breathing deeply, almost like he's trying to hold himself back. I'm surprised to feel a wetness grow between my own legs…something about this is majorly turning me on.

  I begin to move faster, tasting my own saliva mixing with a saltiness that seems to come from him. I glide up and down his shaft and switch hands, trying to vary up the experience for him. He grunts, and I take him as far back in my mouth as I can.

  "Oh, fuck, I'm gonna cum," he moans, and his hips buck. My mouth fills with liquid and I almost stop in surprise, but instinctively swallow it and keep going, moving up and down a few more times before leaning back and discreetly wiping my mouth. I watch as he rather drowsily picks his head up and looks at me, his eyes blinking slowly open as I kneel between his legs, my arms resting on his bare thighs. "You're a natural, Bree."

  I smile and lean forward, placing a soft kiss on his sternum before pausing just in front of his mouth. "Is it OK to kiss you after…?"

  He takes my face in his hands and runs his lips over mine. "Of course. So, what did you think?"

  "I…I liked it, actually," I admit. "I didn't think it would turn me on, but it did. And the taste…it's not like anything else, is it?"

  "I wouldn't know," he says with a laugh as he reaches forward and picks me up under the armpits as he stands up. "Your turn," he says, and picks up the bottom of my t-shirt. I lift my arms and he pulls it off my head. I immediately reach down and unbutton my jeans, wiggling them down to the ground and stepping out of them. When I look up, we both smile at the same time, and I shiver excitedly.

  Suddenly he leans over and picks me up, tossing me over his shoulder as I let out a yelp. "I think you weigh as much as one of my thighs," he observes as he tosses me on my back on the bed. I squirm as I watch his gaze pass over my body. "Take your bra off," he tells me, his voice suddenly quiet. I slowly reach behind me and undo the clasp, then draw it down my arms and drop it on the mattress next to me. "If you thought last night was good…just wait," he whispers as he leans over me.

  His mouth goes straight to my right nipple, sucking on it as my back arches. I bite my lip and my toes begin to wiggle in pleasure as his tongue darts over and around it before moving to the other side. He starts to move down my stomach, going straight down the center, gently biting my skin just below my belly button on the way.

  I feel his hands on my knees, and then they slide up my thighs, cresting over my underwear and then pulling them down just a millimeter. His tongue traces over the newly exposed skin, and my body goes very still. I almost feel like I'm in a trance as he pulls down my panties ever so slowly. I feel every breath, every stroke of his tongue. Finally, he pulls my underwear down over my thighs. I pull my knees together so he can slide them off, then feel his hands between them, pushing them back apart even wider.

  My breath is fast now, and my eyes closed. My body hums with energy. I gasp as I feel his mouth on my inner thigh. Even though I felt his hands down there last night, this feels somehow much more intimate. He licks across my lower belly and I feel his palms on top of my inner thighs, holding them out and down onto the mattress.

  Suddenly I feel his tongue curling against my clit, and I let out a cry. Holy shit…I dig my fingers into the soft duvet cover as he blows cool air against me, then envelopes me with his warm mouth. His tongue begins to circle around me, and I feel an orgasm building up in me even faster than before. I feel a slight pressure at my opening and bite my lip as he presses a finger inside me, swirling it around as his tongue flicks back and forth. I begin to ache with the building desire, and feel an unfamiliar pressure as he slips a second finger inside me.

  "Oh my god," I breathe, my breasts arching high into the cool air as his every movement is enough to send another shot of pleasure blasting through me. He begins to move faster, his tongue and fingers working together. The pleasure reaches a painful apex inside me, and I feel myself crest over it. It crashes over me and I leave my body for a moment, absolutely consumed with pleasure.

  I vaguely feel his tongue flick over me a couple times more as I descend from the heights, brushing a strand of hair off my sweaty forehead. He flops down next to me and I curl toward him.

  "That was…I have no words. When can we have sex?" I murmur, not completely aware of what I'm saying. All I know is, I want more of this feeling.

  He laughs quietly. "Soon. You're pretty tight. I mean you're small, and a virgin, so I figured…but I don't want to hurt you. Let's build up to it a little more."

  "Fine," I sigh, shifting slightly. My thigh bumps up against something, and I frown. "You're hard again," I say in surprise as I look down.

  "Watching you…it's fucking hot," he replies.

  "Well, I'm not tired," I say, putting my hand on his stomach and sliding it downward. "You?" I ask, as I wrap my fingers around his shaft.

  "Nope," he says, with a grin.

  Chapter Twelve

  My mom whips a rag at me, catching me by surprise. "Daydreaming again? Maybe I need to find some new help," she teases me. "What have you been thinking about all day?"

  "This story I'm writing…can't figure out what happens next," I reply, grabbing a rag and trying to whip her back. She laughs, and I grin, feeling like we're back in the old days, before Ray and his family came on the scene. Though the truth is, I wasn't thinking about a drawing…I was thinking about what delicious things Jack might do to me in bed tonight. So maybe not exactly like the old days.

  My mom does look good, though. She's glowing as she jokes around with a customer, then returns to the kitchen window to put in an order.

  "Your hair looks nice like that, by the way," she says, nodding at my braid.

  "Oh, thanks," I say, a little self-consciously. "I saw it in a magazine." I've found myself caring a bit more about how I look lately, and I can't tell yet whether that's a good or bad thing. Sometimes I think that it's because Jack is paying such close attention to my body, and it gives me a new awareness of it, like my relationship with my own body is changing.

  "Fancy," she replies, wiggling her eyebrows. She glances toward the door as it jingles. "Isn't that one of the kids from your class?" she asks nonchalantly.

  I glance toward the door. "Oh my god, he was right. He came back."

  "What?"

  "That's Miles. We went to school together," I murmur, turning my back to him as he walks over to an open booth.

  "Yeah, I just said—Oh, you have a crush on him!" she squeals, and I turn bright red.

  "Mom! Sh!"

  "Sorry, sorry." She glances back at him. "He's here all by himself. Now that's interesting."

  "He came last week, too," I reveal. "Also by himself."

  "So he likes you."

  "No. Wait, really? Do you think?"

  "Oh, definitely," she says nodding sagely, then smiles. "I was wondering when you were going to start dating."

  "Mom…" I sigh, though it is nice to be able to discuss a boy with her. I can't very well bring up what's been going on with Jack.

  "Well, he's in your section," she says, handing me a menu.

  "On it," I reply, heading out from behind the bar and over to Miles. I take a deep breath as I approach, but I actually feel much less nervous than I used to. "You're becoming a regular," I say with a smile.


  Is it my imagination, or do his cheeks turn a little red? "Oh, well, it's…um…" he trails off.

  "No, I'm glad," I assure him. "We, ah, we never really got the chance to talk very much in high school," I add, feeling my confidence building rather inexplicably.

  "Yeah, that was too bad," he murmurs, glancing up at me.

  "Well, it's never too late," I reply with a smile, holding his gaze. Holy crap! Who is this brave new Bree?

  He pauses for a moment, staring back at me. "You want to go out sometime?"

  "I'd love that," I say briskly, like my heart didn't just skip a beat. "In the meantime, can I get your drink order?"

  * * *

  "Bree has a date!" my mom crows as we walk into the kitchen together after our shift.

  "Mom!" I admonish her as Jack and Ray look up at us. My newfound sense of womanliness comes crashing down as I squirm under their gaze.

  "Who's the lucky guy?" Ray asks.

  "Just this guy I went to high school with, Miles," I answer as I walk over to drop my bag on one of the counter stools.

  "Stud!" Jack says, reaching out to high-five me. I slap his hand automatically, though I want to laugh at how surreal it feels.

  "Sylvie left dinner on the stove," Ray says, referencing their housekeeper and sometime cook.

  "Oh, great," my mom replies. She told me she felt odd about having a maid at first, but quickly realized the sheer size of the house and her responsibilities at the diner would have made taking care of everything way too much.

  "OK, I'm headed out," Jack says, waving goodbye and turning for the foyer.

  "Where are you going?" I ask, then wince as I hear myself. Did that sound needy?

  "Dinner with Shaun," Jack answers.

  "Try to stay out of trouble!" his dad calls after him as he walks down the hall.

  "Oh, you know I will!" Jack yells back. I frown. He clearly wasn't being serious. And I met Shaun, and can't imagine he and Jack are really going to have a quiet little dinner.

  Pull it together, Bree. I need to stop myself from thinking these kinds of jealous thoughts now, before they become any more serious. Besides, Jack is…Jack. I mean, the guy just high-fived me. The only reason I feel jealous is because of our nightly shenanigans, not because of any real feelings.

  And Jack did warn me that this might happen. I'll have to watch myself very carefully to make sure I trim any emotional attachment in the bud.

  Later, in bed, I find myself tossing and turning. I'm so used to my day ending with a sexual release. I have too much energy! I drum my fingers on my bare stomach for a moment, and then slide them down. I give up after a minute. It's just not the same anymore, now that I know what Jack can do.

  I sigh and get out of bed. I wander over to my balcony and open the French doors. The humidity tonight is stifling, so I don't much feel like going for a run, but the glittering water of the pool looks inviting. I head back toward my bureau, quickly pull on a suit, and head downstairs.

  As I grab a towel from the linen closet on my way out to the patio, I think about how used to these little luxuries I'm becoming. Midnight swim in my private swimming pool? No big deal. I toss the plushy towel on one of the lounge chairs and step into the shallow end, walking slowly down the steps and then sinking into the water, letting the cool water envelope me.

  I dolphin dive up and down the length of the pool, trying to expend some energy, and then swim over to the side of the pool overlooking the ocean. I can see the lights of South Tampa through the thick night air, but there's also a light much closer. It moves, and I realize it's from a boat anchored only a couple hundred yards off the edge of Ray's land. The light blinks. Someone walked across it. The hairs on the back of my neck go up. Is that boat watching the house?

  "Psst," a voice whispers behind me. I jump and turn around, my limbs splashing around in the water. "Shit, calm down," Jack murmurs from the opposite edge of the pool.

  "Fuck, you scared me," I swear, placing a hand over my racing heart. I swim over to him. "Jack, I think there's a boat out there watching the house."

  "I should hope so," Jack says, stripping his shirt off.

  "Wait, what do you mean? You know about it?"

  "Yeah, it's my father's private security. You think he's just going to rely on some keypad alarm system?"

  "I don't know, I—what are you doing?" I break off as he drops his pants to the ground.

  "Going swimming," he answers nonchalantly. He pushes his boxers to the ground and walks over to the steps.

  "Jack! Our parents' room looks down over the backyard!" I protest as the water eases past his hips.

  "Well, then you should be quieter," he tells me. There's just enough light for me to catch the grin on his face. I sigh and swim on my back away from him.

  "Is there more security than just the boat?" I ask him as I study the way the pool light reflects off his shoulder muscles.

  "Of course. They cover the front of the house too, in rotations. And his driver is former Special Forces. That's just what I know about, though. He doesn't tell me everything."

  "Jeez. I guess that's the drawback to being rich."

  "It's not just that he's rich. I guess you don't read the financial section."

  I laugh quietly. "I can't say that I do."

  "My dad's pretty ruthless when it comes to business, single-minded…I think that's why my mom…" he drifts off.

  I stop pushing the water at my sides, waiting for him to continue. "Why your mom what?"

  "It doesn't matter now. He is the way he is, and he's not changing. That's why he and Lex don't get along. She keeps waiting for him to change."

  I nod, though I don't fully understand. "You think she and I will be friends?"

  "Sure. You want to be?"

  "Yeah. I need a girlfriend. Someone I can talk about you with, though, so I guess she's out." His arm jerks out and grabs me around the waist, pulling me up and against him. I remember not to shriek at the last second.

  "Oh yeah? And what would you say?" he asks. I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck.

  "I'd say…I'm doing very dirty things with my future stepbrother…is that such a good idea?"

  I feel his hand slip under my ass, pushing my bathing suit aside. "And what would this hypothetical friend say back, do you think?"

  He slides one finger inside me and I gasp. "Hell if I know."

  "When's your date with Miles?"

  "Don't know yet," I manage to say as he slips another finger in and circles them around.

  "Think he'll be able to make you feel like this?"

  "Jack! That sounded a lot like jealousy talk to me," I whisper, laying my head on his shoulder.

  "Just an honest question," he replies, moving his index finger over my clit.

  "Guess I'll have to wait and find out," I gasp as pleasure swells over me. "How was your dinner?"

  "Oh, uneventful," he replies, but I can't tell if he's joking or not. If he didn't have his fingers inside me, maybe I'd have the presence of mind to ask more questions. He walks over to the side of the pool and lifts me up, placing my butt on the cool stone edge and leaving my legs dangling into the water. He stands on the bottom of the pool in front of me, his shoulders cresting over the surface. I shiver at the intensity in his light eyes as he stares at me. Is that possessiveness I see? Is that an emotion Jack Stratton is capable of feeling?

  He pulls my knees apart and reaches for the bottom of my suit, pulling it roughly to the side. His head dives down and I moan as he takes a deep lick of my clit. My back arches and I stick my hands behind me, leaning back as he presses two fingers inside me, kneading against me from the inside. I know why he's doing that…he wants to make sure that I'm prepared for his size when we have sex.

  I reach one hand forward and grasp the back of his neck, feeling his hair drip over my fingers. I hear the waves of the ocean crash against the dock and feel somehow suspended in this moment. But Jack's tongue brings me back to reality with a hard
flick.

  My orgasm hits me out of nowhere, and I feel his face pressing me down as my hips want to fly up. He circles his fingers inside me a few more times and then gently replaces my swim suit and lifts me back down into the water. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and slump against him, exhausted. He begins to walk backward in the water, and my legs float uselessly behind me as he carries me.

  Chapter Thirteen

  I glance back at the SUV trailing Ray's Bentley. Now that Jack pointed out the security detail, I see them all the time. Jack reaches over and flicks my bare leg, just below the line of my dress. I slap his hand away.

  "What are you two doing back there?" my mom asks, turning around from the passenger side front seat. I see Ray glance in the rearview mirror.

  "Nothing," I say, shooting Jack a dark look.

  "Reminds me of when I had to take you and Carter with me everywhere when I was getting the diner set up," my mom laughs. "He was always so active. He'd start fussing, and eventually he'd take it out on you."

  "He ever give you a wet willy?" Jack says, reaching his hand over threateningly.

  "Jack, don't you dare!" I say, jerking away from him. He grins, and I reach my leg across the back seat and kick him in the shin. He loves to play up the brother-sister stuff in front of my parents because he knows it weirds me out.

  We pull up to the restaurant and I sit confused as everyone else gets out. We can't be parking here, right out in front. The valet hops into the back seat and looks back at me expectantly.

  "Oh, right," I murmur, and hop out of the car. I've never used valet service before, or actually been to a place that has it. My mom, Ray, and Jack are already headed inside and I hurry to catch up with them. The restaurant is a modern mix of glass and steel, with a second story circled around the open first floor atrium. The hostess leads us up a flight of stairs that are suspended in mid-air by metal ropes and I self-consciously tuck my dress against my legs, worried that someone below us could see through the gaps of the steps and up my skirt.