by Liz Lincoln
“I think it’s pretty obvious I want more than just one night with you. But I’m not the one with something to lose here.” He brushed her hair off her cheek, tucking it behind her ear.
When she would have leaned into his touch, he returned his hand to the couch. Tease.
“I mean, I want that too. But like you said, I have to consider more factors.” To give herself something to do, she took a swallow of her juice. Then she stared into the cup, as if the murky orange liquid held the answer.
“So talk to me. Share your thought process; let’s work this out together.”
He made it sound so simple, but she didn’t even know how to put into words all the things she was trying to sift through in her head.
“I’m not sure I can talk it all out. That’s not how I process things.” She made herself meet his gaze.
His dark eyes were so warm—not hot like he wanted her, but warm like he cared about her—and full of understanding. And patience.
Oh God, she was in so much trouble with this man. She should get up and walk out of his apartment, for a million reasons. Her job should be the most important reason, but she knew in her heart that if she did leave, the biggest motivator would be how in danger she was of falling in love with him.
She believed he did like her as more than just someone to hook up with. If he wanted an easy lay, he surely had options. But she just couldn’t see a world where he could fall in love with her and their lives could be compatible.
She took another drink of juice, then leaned forward to set it on the coffee table. She set her elbows on her knees and put her face in her hands, trying to make sense of all the crap swirling in her head. On a good day, there was only quiet static to weed out before she dug out her thoughts. But these days, it was like someone turned the volume up to ten. And the static was from a dozen radios all at once.
She could hear Bryant’s voice telling her she didn’t belong in physics. She heard Reina saying Bryant needed to fuck off. She heard her brothers asking why if she wanted to work in healthcare she didn’t just become a nurse. She heard Anna telling her that she could go far in physics, she just had to grab what she wanted.
And then there was Marcus. The way he looked at her, the way he listened to her, the way he was right now slowly smoothing his hand up and down her back as if he sensed all the tension vibrating through her.
You just have to decide what you want, and then you take it. You can have what you want, Bree.
She turned and glanced over her shoulder at Marcus, Anna’s words like a megaphone in her head.
Bree and Marcus looked at each other as the air around them grew heavier, pulsing with the tension between them. His hand stilled on her lower back, and though he didn’t move, the touch somehow went from comforting to sensual.
I can have what I want.
Bree climbed onto Marcus’ lap, straddling his waist, and crushed her lips down to his. She kissed him with all the passion she had trapped inside her—for him, for her job, for all the things she wanted but had not dared to go after. She had so many other things she needed to pursue with more determination than she had been.
In this moment, she was pursuing Marcus.
She spread her hands over his recently shaved head, holding him there so she could kiss him. Her tongue swept through his mouth, exploring, tangling with his as he moaned into her.
His arms wrapped tightly around her, stroking up and down her back. One hand came down and palmed her butt, pulling her tighter against him as he thrust up to meet her.
He was already so hard, and his jeans did little to stop her from feeling him right where she wanted him.
She wanted to taste him everywhere, so she tilted his head to the side and dragged her mouth along the corded column of his neck. There was nowhere on his body that wasn’t made of pure muscle.
“Just so we’re clear, this is your decision?” His breath sounded strangled, like he was fighting for air. Good. Let him be as breathless as she was.
Bree scraped her teeth along the edge of his collar, tracing the line around to the other side. “Yes. We can discuss my reasoning later, if you want. But I don’t really feel like talking at the moment.”
With an animalistic sound, he swooped in and took her mouth again. His hands went under her shirt, bringing shivers to her skin, until there wasn’t a spot on her body that wasn’t hyperaroused for him.
Marcus made quick work of her shirt and bra, tossing them away. He pulled back to look at her as his big hands each cupped one breast. His thumbs flicked over her nipples, pulling a moan from deep inside her. She dropped her head back, arching into his touch.
“So beautiful.” Before she could process his words, his teeth scraped one tight nipple. He immediately soothed it with his tongue. Then with a hard suck, he pulled it into his mouth.
“Marcus!” Bree ground down on his hard prick, needing some relief from the pulsing between her legs. His sucking only intensified it. How did he get her worked up so quickly?
He spent what felt like hours playing with her breasts, moving back and forth between them, sucking and flicking and nibbling and driving her completely out of her mind. All she could do was clutch his head and moan his name as the coil of pleasure twisted tighter and tighter inside her. But she knew as good as this was, it would never find her relief.
“Please,” she whimpered.
Marcus released her nipple with a pop. “Please what?” His eyes were glassy as he looked up at her, his lips shining.
“Please…I need…” She couldn’t vocalize it. She was lucky she could even form those words. What was her name again?
“What do you need, baby?” He slid his hands down to her hips and teased his thumbs under the waistband of her jeans. She shivered at the gentle touch.
“You need this?” One hand under her butt, the other spread wide across her back, he stood. For a moment, she had a weightless sense of falling, then she was on her back on the couch.
Marcus used his knee to nudge her legs apart, then came down on top of her. He pressed a wide, wet kiss to her belly button, then drew his tongue down the center of her body until he reached the snap of her jeans.
Oh. Oh yes. Yes, this was exactly what she needed. She lifted her hips off the couch as his fingers flipped open her button. He drew the denim down her legs, his fingers drawing goosebumps to her skin.
When he had her completely naked, he sat back at the end of the couch and looked at her. They weren’t touching, but she felt him everywhere. Felt that hungry gaze as it roamed over her. He made her feel desirable in a way no one else ever had. More important, he made her feel desired.
She couldn’t stand it any longer. She reached her hand toward him. “Marcus, please.”
The left side of his mouth quirked up, causing a seesaw effect in her belly. He tugged off his shirt and tossed it on the floor with her clothes, then got on his hands and knees and returned to her.
On all fours, his face hovering above her center, he grinned up at her. “I’ve wanted to taste you for so long.”
Bree trembled.
“I’m gonna lick you until you scream my name.” His voice was so rough it almost sounded like a threat. But she knew it was the most wonderful of promises.
“You better.”
He chuckled, reached down to adjust himself, then lowered himself to his belly.
The first brush of his fingers over her outer lips made Bree’s hips jerk with surprise, even though she’d been anticipating the touch. Marcus made a soothing noise, then slid a finger through her wet folds.
So good. How could such a simple touch be so, so good? She closed her eyes and let her head roll to the side, giving herself to his touch, to the sensations already rioting through her body.
Was he always this good? Or was it the two of them together?
Not that it mattered. What mattered was how amazing his breath felt, a hot breeze across her skin.
His finger found her clit and m
ade long, slow circles around it. After every few rotations, he paused to gently tap it, then went back to circling.
Soon the touch became both too much and not enough. She wanted his mouth.
She scraped her nails over his scalp. “Enough teasing,” she managed. “Get on with it.”
“Impatient, are we?” His chuckle was a hot breath on her pussy.
She nudged her toes into his side, an ineffective kick, but hopefully he would get the message. Then, because she could, she hooked her leg over his shoulder and draped it across his back.
His big hand slid down the outside of her thigh. “Damn, that’s hot.”
“It would be hotter if you just licked me.”
It took her a minute to realize she’d said those words out loud and not just in her head. She never talked dirty. But something about Marcus brought that out in her.
He made one last circle around her clit, then said, “I do believe you’re right.”
The touch of his tongue had Bree jerking her hips right off the sofa. He used one hand spread across her lower belly to ease her back in place, then made a wide, slow lick, starting at her entrance and moving all the way up until at last he could flick her clit with his tongue.
Bree was panting by the time he was done, digging her nails into his scalp and moaning. It was so good. Stars danced on the backs of her eyelids, and if she could just catch her breath, she might be able to come from just one more lick.
Except when he did it again, instead of making her come, he simply wound everything tighter and tighter inside her. The tension felt like it couldn’t possibly build any further, and yet he continued with his slow, torturous licks, until she was sweating and writhing and—just like he wanted—moaning his name. Begging for him to give her more. Anything so she could come.
“Tell me what you want, baby.” He dipped his tongue inside her, tracing a circle with the tip. And it felt so good. So good. But it wasn’t nearly enough.
“I don’t know. I just need…” She needed to come, dammit. How complicated was that?
He nibbled his way back to her clit, then made another slow circle around it, this time with his tongue. “This?” he murmured against her.
It felt good. So, so amazing. But like everything else, it brought her higher but not over. “I…”
“Or this?” Marcus sucked her clit into his mouth, using just the right amount of pressure to send her soaring. Fireworks burst in her head. She wasn’t there yet, but she was so close, and now she knew this was the thing she had needed. This would get her there.
She clutched him to her, both feet braced on his shoulder blades, lifting up to him as he came down to her. “Yes. Marcus, oh God. Yes, this. Again.”
“Say my name.” The words vibrated through her body, sending off more fireworks in her belly.
“Marcus.” She would fucking say his name, turn it into liturgy, if he would just fucking make her come.
“Again.”
“Marcus. Marcus, please. I need to come, Marcus. Marcus.” She kept saying it until it became one long continuous sound, a moan, a groan, occasionally punctuated with a cry.
“Now come for me.” He thrust his fingers inside her and easily found the spot that could send her over the edge. With a firm press and a solid suck, she flew.
The orgasm pierced through her, sharp and heady and full of bright lights. Somewhere in her mind it occurred to her that she was holding his head so tightly she was probably going to leave scratches. But she didn’t care. She needed him right where he was, and if she let go, he might go. So she clutched him, arching into his face as he coaxed her through it, still sucking and pressing where she needed it. He murmured her name, and the sound vibrated through her skin.
Eventually the intensity of the pleasure receded, but it felt like forever until she was able to relax. She sank into the couch, spent, trying to catch her breath.
Marcus relaxed against her, his head on her hip, and she idly stroked his head. His hands moved up and down her thigh, teasing but not arousing. She couldn’t get aroused again just yet.
“I love the way you come. And you taste so fucking good.”
His words sent a jolt of heat through her belly. “You’re really good at that.”
“You make it easy. Your mouth and your body tell me exactly what you need.” He got on his elbows and crawled up her body. The denim of his pants was rough against her hypersensitive skin, but it didn’t matter. She loved having his weight pressed against her. And she really loved that solid cock pressing between her legs.
She framed his face with her hands. “I guess we just work together.”
“We definitely do.” He lowered himself until his lips brushed hers, a whisper of a kiss.
Bree curled her fingers into the back of his neck and pulled him in tighter. Kissing him for real. The taste of her on his lips sent a whisper of arousal to her core. Yes, she could want him again tonight. Easily. As much as she loved him going down on her, she wanted him inside her again. Besides, he deserved some sort of relief for the erection he was gently stroking against her.
He eased his mouth away, then leveraged himself until he was standing. He reached a hand out, and she took it, letting him draw her to her feet. He slid his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her shoulder.
“You hungry? You need a snack or anything?”
The way he continued to nibble on her shoulder said he wasn’t interested in snacking on food. But the truth was, Bree hadn’t eaten much dinner, and she was going to need some fortification.
“I am, actually. I could use something to eat.”
His lips stilled along the side of her neck and he groaned. “That’s what I get for being a good host. You’re killing me.”
Bree chuckled, which turned into a giggle, then a squeal as he hit a particularly ticklish spot on her neck with his lips. His answering chuckle vibrated through her as he hugged her tight. Then he placed a firm kiss on her lips and let her go. He headed toward the kitchen. Bree grabbed her shirt from the floor and pulled it on. Thankfully she’d worn a longer tunic-style shirt today, so it covered more than a regular T-shirt. It would just be weird to walk around with her bare ass hanging out. She joined him in the kitchen, leaning against the breakfast bar so she could watch him.
Marcus rummaged through his cabinets and refrigerator, making offerings, until Bree settled on cheese and crackers. He had an amazing smoked Asiago and an aged sharp cheddar that were nearly orgasmic. On her salary, she couldn’t afford fancy, expensive cheeses. Which was a shame, because Milwaukee certainly had a lot to offer in the cheese department.
Marcus joined her, each of them sitting on a stool at the counter as they nibbled on their snack. They chatted about nothing and everything, getting to know each other better. As always, the conversation flowed easily.
Because he was shirtless and she could pay attention without getting distracted by hormones, Bree took the opportunity to explore his tattoos. As Seth Chamberlain had mentioned at the benefit, Super Mario graced Marcus’ left pectoral muscle. The video game character was a few inches tall, posed like he was jumping into the air.
She pressed a kiss to Marcus’ skin, right over Mario’s head. She couldn’t resist giving him a small bite.
Marcus hissed in a breath, shoulders straightening. “What did Mario ever do to you?”
She helped herself to another cracker and slice of cheese. “He’s been a naughty boy.” She knew she couldn’t pull off a dominatrix voice, so she deliberately went for comical. Which had the desired effect of bringing out the lines around Marcus’ eyes.
He hooked his foot on the rung of her stool and tugged her closer, leaning in to brush his lips over hers. She let him kiss her for a moment, then pulled back.
“Stop distracting me. I’m still eating, and I want to see what your other tattoos are.”
“If you must.” He spread his long arms wide. “Do with me what you will.”
She snorted. “OK, b
ut now I can’t see the other tattoos, what with them being on your shoulders and arms.” She smacked his right biceps until he lowered his arms again.
Wrapped over his left shoulder was the head of a man in some sort of gladiatorial battle helmet, done in red and gold. Beneath it on his arm were the letters S and C in red, interlocked. “What’s this?” She traced her finger over the letters.
“The SC is for Southern California, as in USC, where I went to college. And we’re the Trojans,” he explained.
“And the colors are red and gold?” It seemed a little weird to kiss the Trojan, so she skipped it.
“This is why you’re getting the PhD.” He tapped her nose with his finger, humor dancing in his eyes.
Bree rolled her eyes and turned to the large dragon covering his right shoulder, the tail disappearing down his back, the head curving down to his chest. It was by far the most intricate of his tattoos, the detail in black ink impressive. The artist had filled it in with shades of blue and teal, and just a little gold.
“A blue and gold dragon. Not hard to guess why you have that.” She scraped a fingernail over a few of the mythical creature’s teeth.
“Got it right after my rookie season.”
“And why Mario?” His two football teams made sense, but as far as she knew, he wasn’t that into video games. The cartoon seemed out of place.
“I was big into the various Nintendo games in high school. So when I turned eighteen, a friend and I went out and got them. He got Luigi. As dumb high school shit goes, it could’ve been a lot worse.” He gave her a wry look. “Though my mom definitely didn’t see it that way at the time.”
Bree laughed. “I’m sure.” It was hard to imagine him as a teen. He was so masculine, so sexy, the idea of him as a boy was hard to fathom. She prepared another snack for herself, trying to picture it. But in her head, he was as broad and muscular as he was now. Which he couldn’t have been eleven years ago.
“So.” Marcus cleared his throat and shifted on his stool. “I did something, and I really hope you’re not mad, because I was just trying to do a nice thing for you.”
