She was stalling, and he wasn’t terribly inclined to hurry her up. The more she relaxed, the more likely he’d get something meaningful out of her. Specifically who she feared and why.
“Opie’s a nut ball. If he likes you, he loves you. If he doesn’t like you, you better run and hope the chain holds.”
“Sounds like the perfect kind of dog.” Natalya meandered to his refrigerator and pulled open the door.
“He’s not so bad. Can I get you something?”
“Mind if I have some of this orange juice?”
Brandon pulled a glass from the dishwasher. Before he could turn fully around, Natalya plucked it from his hands. “You don’t have to wait on me. I can get it.”
As she poured, he admired her thighs. Until tonight, when he’d watched her use those damning legs to hold herself onto a metal pole, he’d never realized just how much strength they contained. Now, as he traced the contours of well-formed muscle, he wondered how he’d never noticed. Pretty legs. Deadly legs.
He cleared his throat as the familiar stirring of desire prickled his skin. “Listen, Natalya, back at Fantasia—”
“Oh, that.” Natalya drank deeply from her glass. “Don’t worry about it.”
“No. It isn’t that simple.”
Delicate eyebrows arched. “It’s not? Looked that way to me. You told me not to, I did it anyway, and you didn’t like it.”
Brandon’s frown returned in an instant. Put that way, the summary did sound simple. But she glossed over the real concerns. Some of which she understood. Some of which she couldn’t begin to comprehend. He crossed to her and braced both hands on the countertop, framing her between his arms. “No, it’s not that simple.”
Time for some bold honesty. If he intended to gain hers, he’d have to surrender some of his. He took a shallow breath and another step closer. Her body heat rolled into him, making him painfully aware of her nearness. His pulse kicked up a notch. “You said some other things.”
“Right. Like you’re jealous.” Over the rim of her glass, her eyes twinkled. “Are you?”
Avoiding the question, Brandon plucked the glass from her hands and set it on the counter near her hip. “Why are you here?”
She blinked. For a nanosecond, her cool facade faltered, and those jade green eyes failed to cloak momentary surprise. But on her next blink, the mask of indifference settled firmly into place. “Because you needed a ride home.”
“And you have yet to ask me for your keys to leave.”
Come on, baby. Where are you? He pressed his thigh between hers, searching for contact with the truth the only way he knew how. A lift of his heel brushed the top of his thigh against her pussy. Slowly. Deliberately. He left his leg there, adding a little weight to tease her clitoris as her lashes fluttered and her lips parted. Lowering his voice to a near whisper, he asked again, “Why are you here, Natalya?”
“Because…” She licked her lips and swallowed. Her composure threatened to break again, evidenced by the hitch in her breathing. With her next breath, however, control slid over her expression once more. “I haven’t asked to leave yet.”
Damn it.
His gaze searched hers, his own heart thumping, his cock hard. She was like a safe, locked up tight and impossible to open without the right code. There had to be a way, other than using her body against her. At this rate, by the time she yielded, he’d be so turned on he’d forget what he’d set out to accomplish.
He lifted his knee again, stroking her clit a second time. Turning his head a fraction, he brushed his lips across her cheek. “Why not?” Determined on victory, Brandon bent his elbows and grazed his chest against her breasts. Her hardened nipples stabbed through the light fabric of his shirt. His cock pulsed, the urge to satisfy her body’s silent requests, instinctive and fierce. She was primed and ready. But damn it, so was he.
Summoning every last ounce of his willpower, he straightened his arms and withdrew his upper body. Heavy-lidded, her gaze latched onto his, but her eyes remained impassive. Where are you, Natalya? Where, damn it?
“I just haven’t,” she murmured.
Brandon’s body screamed for contact. His skin felt too tight, his pulse much too fast. The hollowness in his gut corresponded with the throbbing of his cock, and he gave into temptation for a fleeting heartbeat. He dropped his body full into hers, lowered his mouth to the side of her neck. A teasing nip was all he could risk, and even that had him swallowing back a groan when she tipped her head sideways inviting him to more.
Lifting his head, his eyes tracked the delicate line of her jaw to her full, soft lips, the bump at the bridge of her nose. She hadn’t always been so elegant. A tomboy once? Had she broken it climbing a tree? He couldn’t help but grin.
Yet as his eyes locked with hers, his grin vanished. His heart clanged into his ribs. She was here. Right fucking here.
“Why?” he whispered.
“Because I want to stay,” she answered just as quietly.
Now they were getting somewhere.
Thirty-one
B
ecause you want to feel me inside you?” Brandon whispered against Natalya’s shoulder. Her skin turned to gooseflesh beneath the light caress of his lips. He glanced up, certain to keep his eyes on hers with every response. His voice was hoarse, even to his own ears. “Because you can’t wait to fuck me?” She flattened a palm against his chest. Fingertips curled into his shirt. The breath she drew shuddered. “Yes.”
Truth. He closed his eyes and breathed in the sweet scent of springtime lilacs. Forcing himself not to get caught up in the heavenly aroma, he steered his mind back on course. This was about answers. Quenching desire came later.
He trailed the tip of his tongue along her prominent collarbone. “Because what happened this afternoon wasn’t just casual?”
Her nails scraped against his chest as her fingers curled tighter. He felt the tenseness in her shoulders as she held her breath. She closed her eyes, and Brandon swore silently. Retreat. She’d retreat before he could ever reach through, grab on, and hold her near. Damn, damn, damn!
But when Natalya’s lashes lifted, to his complete surprise, nothing had changed. He could still read through to the depths of her soul and witness the unguarded truths she continually locked out of sight. Her breath came out in a shaky rush, arousal claiming her as quickly as it claimed him. “Right.”
His stomach pitched a somersault, and his cock filled to capacity. Holy shit. He’d suspected. But he hadn’t expected her to admit it. Caught up by a wave of unexpected feeling, he gave himself permission to indulge and wound his arms around her waist, urging her body into alignment with his. She came willingly, her hips molding into his, her arms sliding around his neck. Brandon caught her lower lip between his teeth, tugging her mouth closer. Their kiss was fleeting, the brief touch of their tongues insignificant. Intoxicating all the same.
He surrendered her mouth and rested his forehead against hers, praying he could hold out long enough to accomplish answers. “Did you defy me to provoke me?”
Natalya shook her head, but her eyes never left his.
Truth.
“Because you need the money?”
“Yes,” she murmured, her blink lasting longer than necessary.
Lie. He frowned and dropped one hand to the gentle curve of her bottom. He’d let the lie slide, but under no circumstance would he allow those shutters to snap closed. Holding her firmly in place, he rubbed his swollen erection against the sensitive flesh he knew would be wet. Her hoarse moan gave him victory.
Slipping his other hand between their bodies, he tugged at her tank top, bunching it into his hands until the warmth of her skin met his knuckles. He slid his fingers over her ribs, higher to the thin satin that covered her breasts. Cupping his palm around the weighty flesh, he rolled his thumb over one hard, distended nipple. He played with her lips, kissed her slow and easy, tasting the desire that burned within her. Her breath came hard and fast, beckoning to him, and Br
andon let down his guard to sink his body into hers and kiss her with all the ferocious need that boiled in his blood.
At her moan, he drew back. Not yet. He couldn’t get lost in her until he understood. Aware what he intended to ask next possessed the ability to repel her away, he took his time, keeping his forehead against hers, holding her gaze steadily. A union far more intimate than anything he’d ever experienced. Looking into her eyes, touching her body, watching the honest way she responded to him—Brandon’s head felt dizzy.
She arched her back into his palm, her lashes threatening to close. When he gave that aroused nipple a deliberate pinch, her lashes lifted, and she let out a gasp. The sound ricocheted into him, vibrating down his spine to take root in his groin. His cock throbbed in answer.
He swallowed to wet his drying throat, but his words still came out harsh and unsteady. “Do you carry that gun because you’re afraid of someone?”
“No.”
He’d made the mistake of letting his gaze drop to her mouth, and at her answer he jerked it swiftly back to her eyes, expecting to find the veil barring him from the truth. Instead, it shocked him to find once again, she’d spoken the truth. She wasn’t afraid? How the hell was that possible?
A frown pulled at his brow as he searched through all the logical explanations he could come up with. He took his best guess. “For someone?”
Biting down on her lower lip, she wriggled her body against his with a faint, but distinct nod. “Please, Brandon, no more talking.” Her nails raked down his back as she dragged her hips firmly against his. A shudder rolled down her spine, and she let out a soft moan.
Damnation, he ached to give her the relief she wanted. It would be so easy to yield and lift her onto the countertop. Peel off her shorts, unfasten his pants… He bit back a groan and squeezed his eyes shut tight. He still had things to say, and once they crossed that bridge, he didn’t know what might happen. She could very well lock herself away so tightly he might never get through again.
He brought his other hand between their bodies and pushed her shirt all the way up. Withdrawing from her long enough to pull it over her head, he dropped it on the floor and dipped his mouth to the deep valley between her breasts. Cupping her breasts with both hands, he massaged the soft, warm flesh and trailed his lips over the high swell. Working his way lower, he paused above one dusky nipple and looked back up to her face. “Would it be so bad if I were jealous?”
Natalya’s fingers slid into his hair as she arched her back, urging her nipple closer to his mouth. “No.”
Truth.
Brandon swirled his tongue around the erect bud. “Would you believe me if I told you I wanted you off stage to protect you?”
“Yes.”
Lie. What the fuck?
He closed his mouth around her nipple and sucked hard. Her gasp cut through the relative quiet, and her nails dug into his scalp. He ignored the pressure of her hands that demanded he stay put and let the slippery flesh slide from his lips. The undulation of her body sent spasms of pleasure rolling through him. Good Lord, he wanted to be inside her. He didn’t know how much longer he could suffer the torment of desire and the conflicting need to know what made her tick. The need to understand just how she viewed this thing between them.
Releasing her breasts, he brought both hands to her waist and dipped his fingers beneath the tight elastic of her shorts. He pushed the cotton down, taking her thong underwear with it, and cupped the smooth contour of her firm cheeks. Bringing her softness closer to his aching cock. So close he could feel her moist heat despite the barrier of his pants. Brandon shuddered.
His teeth scored into her shoulder before he closed his lips and planted a soft kiss against her creamy skin. “I do, Natalya,” he murmured. “I want to protect you.”
Natalya’s hands slid over his shoulders. Nimble fingers found the buttons along the front of his shirt, slowly popping them free. When she pushed the loose material to the edge of his shoulders and her smooth palms glided over his chest, he sucked in a sharp breath. Brandon swayed under the staggering sensation. He hadn’t realized how much he’d been craving the feel of her hands on him. Not until now, when he’d pushed so hard to make contact with her that he’d opened himself as well.
She moved her leg, and her clothing tumbled to her ankles. Brandon splayed one hand over her tailbone, the other he moved around in front to cup her pussy. Moisture met his seeking fingertips. He slid his index finger through her damp folds and pressed the heel of his palm against her sensitive nub.
Natalya trembled. Her nails dug into his bare shoulders as she leaned against the countertop and curled a slender calf around his leg. Eyes closed, head tipped back, she moaned, “Brandon…”
He had to know. Had to hear her say it. Leaning his bare chest into hers, he eased his finger inside her slick sheath. His voice rang thick and hoarse. “Do you want to come, beautiful?”
Her inner muscles contracted. “God… yes…”
Brandon pushed in deep as his body coiled tight. Fuck. The simple utterance was enough to hurtle him to the brink. He sucked in deep breaths to temper the shock of ecstasy. “Go ahead. I want you to, sweetheart. I want you to feel me. Know me.”
“Not without you,” she rasped.
Oh, holy crap. That was no way to stop him from coming. And damned if he could fight the pleas of her body any longer. The time for answers had come and gone. He stepped back, yielding to the questing of her hands at his belt. She tugged it loose, the jangle of metal like a gunshot to his frayed nerves. He held absolutely still, scarcely able to breathe as she released the solitary button, then his zipper.
He glanced over his shoulder at the couch—no way would he make it there. Stepping out of the material pooled at his ankles, he grabbed her by the hipbones and set her on the countertop. Her legs wound around his waist. Her mouth found his, hungry and demanding. His low moan mingled with hers, and his erection pressed against her slick opening. A rock of her body urged him to bring them together. To take them both to that delirious place where desire bound them tight and carried them away.
On a shaky breath, Brandon pulled his hips back and pushed through her soft tissues, sliding in deep. She surrounded him. Her hot flesh gripped and squeezed. Her nails scored down the length of his back. Fuck. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. She was warm, wet, and perfect. The needy tangle of her tongue fringed with an innocence he couldn’t define. Like a calming breeze before a thunderstorm rolled in. “God, you feel good.”
She leaned back to brace her hands on the countertop behind her and lifted her body into his. Sensation surged down his spine. His cock swelled. Bliss threatened to drag him into oblivion. Robbed of the ability to breathe, he tore his mouth from hers to whisper against her cheek, “I’m not going to last long. But I’ll make it up to you.”
A faint smile crossed her beautiful face as she lifted her eyes to his. Her leg tightened, drawing his body closer as she glided along his hard length. “Me neither.”
He resisted the driving need to slam inside her, determined to let her find pleasure first. Holding on to her waist, he guided her slowly and bit down on the inside of his cheek. Jesus, this was heaven. Unlike anything he’d ever experienced. His body strained with the effort of controlling himself, his arms shook, his thighs bunched tight.
Up and down, she lifted, taking him in deep, then withdrawing until he thought he’d lose his mind if she released him all the way. But just as he felt certain he’d fall from that sweet, hot haven, she pushed forward again, bringing him home.
He made the mistake of looking between them and witnessing the way he moved in and out of her body. Swearing beneath his breath, he dug his fingers into her hips. “Natalya,” he ground out between clenched teeth.
“Feel me.”
Her response came so softly he had to strain to hear her. It’s effect, however, brought him to his knees. In one thunderous heartbeat, she engulfed his senses. Her perfume carried him away to the naivety of yo
uth, and the rasp of her breath erased a decade of guilt. The warmth of her body sliding against his soothed something restless and untamed.
His arms wrapped around her waist, his mouth crashed into hers, savage and hard. Unraveled and exposed, he drove in and out of her in wild abandon, oblivious to all but the ecstasy building at the base of his spine.
“Brandon. Oh, God. Brandon…” Her words gave way to a throaty groan.
Brandon felt her flesh quiver around him. Her ragged cry crashed into his awareness, and sent him surging over a high cliff edge. Pinpoints of light burst behind his eyes as release stormed through him. He groaned against the spasming of his body, his breath catching as he came unendingly.
Spent beyond all means, he dropped his head to her shoulder and gasped for air. The last of her orgasm pulsed around his softening erection, and he gave in to a soft smile. He brushed a kiss to her damp shoulder. “I don’t think I can move.”
Natalya’s chuckle danced down the side of his neck. Light fingertips trailed over his ribs. “Me neither, but you’re going to have to. I can’t sleep on this countertop.”
Summoning the last of his remaining strength, Brandon scooped her into his arms and eased her to her feet. The separation of their bodies filled him with a strange sense of disappointment, but it also explained why their lovemaking seemed so much different than anything he’d experienced. As he reached to the floor for their clothing, he glimpsed the sheen of moisture along his sagging cock.
Panic kicked his heart into overdrive. In countless entanglements, not once, not fucking once, had he been dumb enough to forget a condom.
He balled their clothes into his fist and struggled to swallow. He was clean, no question about that. He sincerely doubted she didn’t look after herself as well. But there were other repercussions. Long-term ramifications that always had exceptions.
Trying to keep the terror out of his voice, he extended her clothes and suggested, “How about we curl up on the couch?”
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