Tempting Boundaries

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  Decker met her gaze, and she didn’t like the pain she saw in them. Not the physical kind, but the kind she was afraid she wasn’t enough to fix.

  “I held back, Mir. He’ll be fine.”

  She cursed again. “I don’t understand men. And I said fucking sit!”

  His brows rose at her tone, and then he sat down on the stool. “Mir.”

  “Deck.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  She sighed then wiped his face with a wet cloth. He’d already done it since he wasn’t that bad off, but she needed to do it herself as well.

  “You scared me.” She lowered her head to his, and he put his hands on her hips.

  “I’m sorry,” he repeated.

  “Don’t be sorry. Just don’t do it again. Okay? The two of you are some of my favorite people, and I don’t like it when you fight.” She pulled away and traced her finger over a cut on his brow. He hissed out a breath. “I’ve never seen you look like this. It must have been a bad fight.”

  “It wasn’t fun, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  She traced another cut on his cheek and over the bruises on the side of his face. Griffin hadn’t split Decker’s lip, so she softly brushed her own over his.

  “Don’t do it again, Decker. Please.”

  He let out a breath. “I don’t know if I can promise that, Mir. I’m not a good man.”

  She fisted her hands on his shoulders. “That’s a cop-out, and you know it. You can use your words. Not your fists.”

  He closed his eyes, and she wanted to cry for him. God, she hated this, hated seeing him in pain that had to do with way more than one fight. She couldn’t fix it, but she’d try to. It was all she could do.

  “I would have stopped at the words, Mir. But then he said I was ashamed of you, and I lost it. I fucking lost it.” He pulled back and looked at his hands as if he was surprised they were there.

  “Griffin was wrong. You’re not ashamed of me.” She hoped that was the truth, but she didn’t want to think about it if it wasn’t.

  Decker met her gaze, and the rawness in his eyes made her suck in a breath. “Never, Mir. I’m never ashamed of you. That’s why I went ape-shit. You’re mine for however long we’re us, Miranda, and no matter what happens, I’m never going to be ashamed of what we have.”

  She swallowed hard at his words, ignoring the time limit he’d put on their relationship. After all, she’d pretty much done the same thing.

  “How are your ribs?” she said instead of anything else that might have come out of her mouth. It was too important, so she didn’t say it. “Do you need to go to the emergency room?”

  Decker shook his head then cupped her face. “I’m fine, Mir. Nothing too damaging. Nothing other than my pride.”

  And his relationship with Griffin, but she wasn’t sure they were talking about that.

  She leaned into his palm and sighed. “I don’t like you and Griffin fighting.”

  “I don’t like it either,” he said softly. “I should have told him.” He said that last part so low she wasn’t sure he was talking to her or himself.

  “We both should have told him. We’re adults. And though it would be nice to actually have privacy and just be the two of us, that’s not reality. We’re all so connected there’s going to be hurt feelings and boundaries people think we shouldn’t have crossed.” She licked her lips and took the plunge. “I don’t want to lose what I have with you right now because of what happened, Decker.”

  He leaned down and brushed a kiss over her lips. “I don’t want to lose it either.” He rested his forehead against hers. “It just fucking sucks, Mir. Grif’s like my brother, and he looked at me like I’d defiled you or kidnapped you or some shit.”

  “You’ll fix it. You both will.” She prayed that was true. God, what was she doing to her family? All because she loved the wrong man? No, he couldn’t be wrong.

  He wasn’t wrong.

  Decker kissed her again, this time swiping his tongue along the seam of her mouth. She opened for him, closing her eyes on a moan. She let herself be drugged by his kiss, falling into him and letting him take control. He was just so good at it, so potent. While she loved making love with him, loved the feel of him over her, under her, deep inside her, she might have loved kissing him just as much.

  His hands left her face and traveled down her body, cupping her butt. He pulled back and looked at her face.

  “I fucking love kissing you.”

  She grinned. “I was thinking pretty much the same thing.” She traced his lips with her fingers, and he nibbled on the tips. “I’m glad your lips aren’t cut. That would make it hard for you to do this.”

  He bit down on her finger with a little more pressure, and she gasped. “Something’s hard, and it’s not this.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh look, a penis joke. I’m so surprised.”

  He stood quickly and lifted her off her feet, his hands under her bottom. She let out a squeak then wrapped her legs around his waist.

  “I’ll show you not to sass me, woman.”

  “You’re hurt. Put me down before you do more damage to yourself.” She wiggled in his hold, and he squeezed her ass.

  “Orders too? I think you deserve a punishment, baby.”

  Her mouth went dry. “Uh…what?”

  He set her on the kitchen table and put his hands on either side of her. “You said you wanted to feel what it would be like if I made your ass red. You still in, Mir?”

  She swallowed hard and nodded. She wanted to try everything with him. Everything.

  He put a finger under her chin and raised her head. “Words, Mir. You have to say it out loud.”

  “I want you, Decker. I want it all.” She cursed inwardly at her slip of the tongue. Something came and went out of his eyes, and she pushed it away. “I mean I want you to spank me.”

  There.

  Fixed.

  Hopefully.

  He kissed her again, and she moaned into him, taking him for all he was worth. And he was worth a hell of a lot. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, wanting more of him. His hands remained on the table, but she could feel the heat of him, the need of him.

  When he pulled back, she had to gulp in deep breaths. He moved her from the table and stood in front of her, arms crossed over his chest so his forearms bulged in that damn sexy way.

  “Strip.”

  “You don’t want to do it for me?” she asked.

  He narrowed his eyes. “Well, we were up to five swats. You just made it ten. You want more, little girl?”

  Probably not for her first try, so she shook her head then remembered his rule. “No. Ten is good.”

  His lips twitched. Yeah, he’d caught her not answering correctly, but hopefully he’d let her get away with it this once.

  She quickly took off her clothes, leaving them on the floor instead of folding them because that would take too long. Was there something wrong with her that she loved the fact that she was there naked while he was completely dressed? Maybe it was because she knew he’d take care of her…then get naked right alongside her.

  “Turn around, bend over, breasts on the table.”

  She sucked in a shaky breath then did what he wanted. Her already hard nipples stiffened even more, and she winced when they touched the table. It wasn’t too cold, but it didn’t feel all that great.

  She felt him come up from behind her and stand so close she could feel the heat of him, but not his body. It took all within her not to press back to get closer.

  His hand covered one cheek, and she let out a moan. God, he was so…hers.

  He moved his hand back, and then she yelped when he connected. The sting shot right through her, but then he rubbed the spot he’d hit, and she whimpered. He slapped her ass four more times in quick succession, but never in the same spot on one cheek. He soothed the sting again, and she sucked in a breath. Her pussy ached, and she knew she was wet, ready for him.

  He spa
nked the other side, and she let out a moan.

  “That’s a good girl. Be as loud as you want, Mir. Show me what you want.”

  She moaned louder when he spanked her again. Three more to go, but she wasn’t sure she’d make it. Her knees shook, and she moved her arms so she gripped the table.

  He leaned over her so his mouth was right by her ear. “Your ass is so fucking pink right now. About as pink as your cunt. You know how much I love eating that juicy cunt of yours, and right now, baby, you’re sopping. I’m going to lick up each drop and fuck you with my tongue so you’ll come on my face. Then I’m going to fuck that pretty mouth of yours before I sink my dick into your sweet pussy. How does that sound, baby?”

  Her clit throbbed at his words, and she wiggled against him, needing the friction.

  “I want it all. Please. Make me come, Decker. I don’t think I can take much more.”

  He bit her shoulder then kissed her. She ached for him, craved him. “You’ll take all of it, Miranda. All of it.”

  When he moved back, she whimpered, wanting more. Damn him, she wanted all of it. He spanked her again, and she screamed. God, it hurt, but the kind of hurt that made her want to come or beg for more. Maybe both. He spanked her again and then again, and then she was free.

  Her body shook, and she opened her mouth to beg for Decker to do something, but then his mouth was on her, and she was screaming for a different reason. He feasted on her pussy like she was the most decadent dessert ever.

  He sucked on her clit, his wide tongue lapping her up. She squirmed, wanting more.

  “Oh my God, Decker. Please. I’m going to come.”

  His hands spread her cheeks, and she blushed. God, he was so…dirty. She loved it.

  He speared her with his tongue then sucked on her some more. Her body warmed, and her back arched. When she breathed out his name, she came, pressing her ass against his face.

  Before she could finish coming down from her high, he had her rising again. This time, he was using his fingers to find her G-spot and rubbed on that bundle of nerves until she came again.

  Panting, she tried to speak, but before she could, he pulled her down from the table and into his arms. He crushed his mouth to hers, and she fell once more. She could taste herself on him and wanted to reciprocate.

  She pulled away then went to her knees. He cupped her face, and she looked up at him. “Shy?” she teased since he was still dressed.

  He rolled his eyes then stripped off his shirt. Damn, the man was built. And she’d lick every inch of him later. Right now, she had a certain body part she wanted to see. She helped him undo his pants and then gripped his length when he was free.

  Decker sucked in a breath then ran a hand through her hair. “Do I need to take the piercing out?” he asked, his voice a growl.

  She shook her head then licked the tip of his dick right under the piercing. “We’ve practiced a few times without it in, and if you’re okay if I don’t deepthroat this time, we should be okay.”

  He pushed her hair from her face then gripped it in his fist. “Just be gentle,” he said on a laugh.

  She rolled her eyes then licked her way down his cock to his neatly trimmed hair. She worked her way back up then sucked on the tip, rolling her tongue around the metal ball. Decker groaned, and his hand in her hair tightened. She swallowed him to the back of her throat, swallowed, and relished the way his body shuddered. Then, carefully, she pulled back. Usually, she’d go crazy and let him fuck her mouth, but she didn’t want to break a tooth.

  She repeated the motions, loving his taste and the way he fought for control, until Decker pulled away. He had her by the armpits and on the table before she could blink.

  “Decker…” she breathed then closed her eyes on a moan as he sucked a nipple into his mouth.

  “You need to pierce these,” he said low, pinching both her nipples hard between his fingers. “They’d look fucking hot with little hoops, and they’d be hidden at work.

  She shivered. “I will if you will.”

  He grinned. “Done.”

  Oh shit. Well, it looked like she was getting her nipples pierced. If it put that look on Decker’s face more often, then yay for her.

  “Feet up on the table and spread yourself so I can see that greedy little pussy of yours.”

  She did as she was told, feeling open and vulnerable. Decker groaned then leaned down to get a condom from his jeans. He carefully rolled it over his cock then positioned himself at her entrance.

  “You think you can be a good girl and hold yourself open for me while I fuck you, baby?”

  She nodded. “I think.”

  He grinned. “We’ll see.”

  Oh God. She couldn’t wait.

  Decker’s eyes were on hers as he gripped his cock at the base then slid into her one inch at a time.

  Her mouth dropped open as he stretched her. His piercing rubbed along the side of her inner walls as he pushed deep. Seriously, anyone who’d never made love with a man with a cock piercing was for sure missing out.

  Not that she’d share Decker with anyone. Nope, the man was all hers. For however long he wanted her.

  She sucked in a breath at that thought, and then he slammed home. Stars burst behind her eyes, and she shook, tears forming. God, she was so full. He gripped her hips and stared into her eyes.

  “You want to wrap your legs around me? Or do you want me to go this deep with your legs spread?”

  She licked her lips, willing herself to speak. How could she think when he was so deep within her, so part of her?

  “Both. Whatever. I’ll start here then wrap when I can’t hold back anymore.”

  He grinned and nodded. “Right answer, Mir. Right fucking answer.” He pulled out, and she moaned, her pussy gripping him. “Jesus, you’re so tight. I love making love to you.”

  Love.

  He’d said it again. Tears formed once more, and she blinked them away. Not here. Not now.

  Maybe not ever.

  He pumped his hips, fucking her hard, and she lost her train of thought. Good. He had one hand on her hip, the other rolling and pinching her nipples. He never stopped his grueling pace, even as he leaned over and captured her lips in a fierce kiss.

  She loved him so much, and yet she’d never tell him.

  She couldn’t.

  She pushed those thoughts away and wrapped her legs around him, wanting to be skin-to-skin, heart-to-heart. She bit down on his shoulder, and he growled, picking up speed. The orgasm hit her hard, suddenly. She bowed her back, throwing her head back. Decker came with her, gripping her hips so hard she knew he’d leave bruises. Bruises she’d cherish and never want to fade.

  He’d already marked her heart. Now he’d marked her body in the ways she craved.

  When she felt his cock stop throbbing within her, he stood there, naked in his kitchen, with her naked on his table. His forehead pressed against hers, and she closed her eyes, lest he see the true depth of her feelings.

  It was too fast, too soon for her to reveal what she’d known for far too long. She knew that in her mind, but it didn’t matter in her heart.

  She had to keep her eyes closed, or she’d see the cuts and bruises on his face, on his side from where he’d fought with Griffin. So much rode on the connection they shared and how they dealt with it. One wrong step and she could shatter not only her heart but the life of the man she loved and had fought so hard to have.

  It all had to be worth it in the end.

  Because if it wasn’t, she’d lose herself forever.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Decker took a deep breath then lifted the large hunk of wood onto his workbench. His muscles strained, and he knew he should have gotten help from one of the guys, but he hadn’t wanted to bother them.

  He hadn’t wanted to bother them with a lot of things.

  He hadn’t spoken to any of the Montgomerys, other than Miranda, that morning since the day before when the news broke. He wasn’t sure which side an
yone had landed on, and it killed him that there were sides to begin with.

  His fault, he reminded himself.

  Now he was alone in his workspace on a Thursday night because he hadn’t had the gumption to find out if he’d ruined it all and he’d lost everything. He looked down at the wood on his bench and cursed.

  He might be doing this all for nothing. Griffin had wanted bookshelves, so Decker was making them. The man had also asked for them before he’d found out about everything with Miranda. So now it could all be a waste. A waste that would kick him in the ass if he couldn’t fix it.

  His face ached from his friend’s fists, and his side hurt like a mother, but they were small wounds in comparison to the slash across his heart. He’d never thought Grif would react that way.

  Yeah, he knew it would be bad, but the betrayal on the other man’s face was almost too much to bear.

  He sighed and looked down at his knuckles. Miranda had tended his wounds, kissed them to make them feel better, and cared for him. His dick twitched at the memory of his hands on her and her mouth on him. He’d pushed her the night before in his kitchen, and then later in his bed, but she’d been right there, taking it all and begging for more.

  He never thought she’d be able to do that, take all of him, be with him in a way that soothed him and touched all the bases. He’d known he wanted her and wanted her in his life. He just hadn’t realized how much until she was there.

  And things were going to go to shit once she figured out the truth.

  He cursed then started working on the shelves, the loud noises and music pounding in his ears doing nothing to drown out his thoughts.

  On the one hand, he wanted Miranda. Wanted her until she decided she couldn’t take him anymore. On the other, he was just delaying the inevitable. He let out a sigh. Fuck, when did he turn into a whiney bitch?

  He cursed again then started back on the shelves. He’d do the cutting with the saw, but he’d do the intricate carving into the wood with a hammer, chisels, and his hands. They were just shelves, and he might not have taken such care making them look unique if it hadn’t been for his best friend. He’d have made them look distinctive just because it was Griffin, but the memory of betrayal on his friend’s face was so vivid, that Decker was trying to work even harder.