A Modern Love Story

by Jolyn Palliata

  All thoughts evaporated and he moved on pure instinct alone. Grabbing her by the arm, he twisted her around and moved in. His mouth took hers just as her lips parted to yell, and he tasted her immediately. But as he shifted to take it deeper, she squirmed and shoved him back.

  Her eyes sparked with temper as they stared each other down, breaths already quickened from their short embrace. He wanted to put his hands on her, to pull her back, to have her, and was about to do just that, but there was no need—Robbie fisted her hand in his shirt, and jerked him against her.

  Lips fusing together, he moved in, slamming her against the door. He touched her everywhere, anywhere, as she yanked his shirt off to slide her palms up and over his chest, to curl around his neck. His hands darted under her tank top to touch flesh, to possess and take, then caress and tug. Their mouths fed off each other, nipping and teasing to draw the other in.

  Robbie grabbed his hand and moved it between her thighs. He shifted and her boxers fell with ease. He found no barrier of silk or cotton, only wet fire, and his fingers dived in. Breathing in her gasps, he drove her to madness, reveling as her body vibrated against him. His belly curled with lust as she fumbled with the button on his jeans, as she tugged at his zipper, as she found him hard and wanting. She explored with nimble fingers, and he nearly came undone.

  Grabbing her wrists, he yanked them above her head, cuffing them with one hand as he let the other wander to hold and squeeze whatever he could reach. His tongue blazed a trail down her neck and across her collarbone. He had to taste her, wanted to taste her, and now that he had, he couldn’t get enough. She struggled to free her hands, wiggling and arching against him as he took her breast in his mouth.

  “Now!” she demanded, hooking a leg around his waist.

  Clarity sparked through his brain. “Condom,” he huffed.

  She locked the muscle in her leg, rubbing her heat against him. “God, please, Luc. Now.” Her voice was an urgent whisper, a plea striking straight through the tether maintaining his control.

  He plunged, one shocking moment. She whimpered a sound of pure female pleasure, and she then moved, rocking against him. With him.

  Sensations, raw and commanding, rocketed through his body as he raced to have her, to rule her. It was all so surreal, and yet he was hyper-aware—she was everywhere, flooding his senses, while he was nowhere, spurred on by an insatiable force.

  She matched his need, his urgency, stroke by glorious stroke. Hands still pinned, she dropped her head, nipped at his shoulder. He released her wrists and she clamped onto him, fingers digging into his heated flesh. Grabbing her hips with both hands, he took her in deep, hard thrusts.

  He knew when he had her, when he brought her to peak for the second time. The sound of his name on her lips made his own release all the more euphoric, and totally consuming.

  She was his.

  Robbie buried her face in Luc’s neck as he held them up against the door with numb, tingling limbs, his cheek resting against her head. And he heard her say, with a breathless gasp, “You win.”

  Luc chuckled, tipping his face down. Her boxers were pooled around her ankle, and her tank top was bunched up under her chin.

  “I did that with a little less—okay, a lot less—finesse than I ever imagined I would.”

  Robbie’s brow arched. “And, ah, how many times did you imagine this little scenario?”

  He smiled, traced her lips with his finger. “Only about a million.”

  “I’d say we’re about even then.” She grinned and slumped against him. “I don’t think I can move. I may have lost all use of my muscles.”

  “I gotcha.” He reached over to flip the lock on her door, and then gathered her up.

  She was like a feather in his arms as he carried her to the bedroom and laid her down. They cuddled up, wrapping around each other, and Luc reveled in the moment, absorbing the fact that Robbie was there, in his arms. He trailed his fingertips up and down her spine, each pass slower than the last, as he drifted off to sleep. And somewhere in the sleep-induced daze, he had the errant thought about how Conrad was fucking right—there was no damn doubt he was in love with her. And it seemed she loved him, too.

  *****

  Payten smoothed at her hair and business skirt before gripping the spindled-brass handle to tug open the heavy oak door. Her eyes adjusted to the dim interior almost immediately as she stepped inside, well used to the routine of brilliance to darkness on her almost-daily stops at Hooligan’s. A quick scan of the booths along the wall, and the stools along the bar, verified the evening crowd hadn’t beat her.

  With a slight sway to her hips, she balanced and strode to the bar on thin heels—the type she knew accentuated her long legs, and worked her ass.

  She flashed a beaming smile at Conrad as he watched her approach, a glint of appreciation lighting his gorgeous hazel eyes. If Luc hadn’t grabbed her by the throat first, Conrad surely would have.

  “Evening, Conrad. Could you get me a beer?” She all but slithered onto the stool, then purposely crossed her legs.

  “It would be my great pleasure, Payten.” Conrad smiled and winked before reaching down for a mug.

  She rubbed at her neck, rotating it around as she surveyed the space for Luc.

  “He’s not here.” Conrad set a lite beer in front of her.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You have eyes for Luc, do you?”

  She took a long swallow, considering the situation, and how to work it. “Am I that transparent?”

  “A bit.”

  “I thought it’d be interesting to get to know him better, but he doesn’t make it easy.”

  He lifted a shoulder and smiled. “So what do you want to know about ‘ole Luc?”

  “‘Ole Luc…” She ran her finger down the side of her mug, slipping it across the gathering condensation. “He’s got a steely exterior on him, does he not?”

  “That he does. The only one I’ve ever seen get through it is Robbie.”

  “Robbie,” she said, thoughtfully. “What is their relationship? From what I’ve been able to figure, they’re like brother and sister, correct?”

  “No, not at all. More like unrequited lovers, if you ask me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I think they’re in love with each other, but still don’t realize it, even after all these years.”

  “Looks like I may have my work cut out for me then.”

  Conrad chuckled. “That you do, but know this: If you get tired of chasing Luc, I’m ready to be caught.”

  Payten picked up on his teasing and went with it. “And what a catch I bet you are.” She batted her eyelashes, and caught a drop of condensation on the tip of her finger before sliding it between her lips.

  Conrad shook his head and grinned. “See there? Yup, you can flirt with me anytime. Does my male ego good.”

  She laughed in the way she knew captured a man’s attention, and patted his hand. “You’re no Luc, but you sure are a cutie, Conrad.”

  “Let me ask you something, Payten. What is it about Luc that stirs women up?”

  “I’d have to say it’s those deliciously rough edges he has.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Conrad said with an eye roll. “He’s yummy. Lucky bastard.”

  “I thought you had a girl.”

  “I do. Beside the point.” He grabbed a rag, began wiping down the counter. “A man always wants what others have. I was just curious how Luc always seems to get it.”

  “Well, with me, cutie, that’s what it is.” She sipped her beer, glanced at the clock. “What time are you expecting him?”

  Conrad tossed the rag somewhere under the bar and looked at his watch. His brow creased as he responded, “Now that’s a good question.”

  Payten watched as he walked into the back. About ten minutes later he came back with a smirk on his face.

  “Did you find him?”

  “Yeah. Best not waste your time, Payten. He won’t be coming around.”r />
  *****

  Robbie reached over to put the phone back on the bedside table. As she eased back, Luc wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her belly.

  “Whoa. Watch the whiskers, buddy.” She squirmed as he rubbed his cheek across her navel.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll soothe it, make it feel better.” He brushed his lips over her skin as he snuggled against her side. “Was that Conrad?”

  “Yeah. I told him you won’t be in tonight. Hope that’s okay.”

  “No problem. Couldn’t make me leave if you tried.” He planted light kisses up her chest, across her breasts. “Jesus, babe. You smell amazing. What is that?”

  She couldn’t stop the moan as his tongue slid over a nipple. “Body wash. Lotion.”

  “I never smelled it on you before.”

  “You never got this close before.”

  “My damn loss.”

  “My gain now,” she said as his hand trailed up her thigh. She nearly whimpered in anticipation. “I feel like I’ve waited forever for this.”

  “How long?” He teased her with his fingers, swirling little designs on her leg, and then lifted his head to nip at her bottom lip. “Tell me.”

  She sighed a half-laugh. “Since you taught me how to kiss.”

  His hand froze as he locked his dark eyes on hers. “For eight years?”

  “I was starting to think you’d never take a hint.”

  He chuckled, the tops of his ears turning pink. “You can thank Conrad for that one.”

  “How so?”

  “It seems I was missing the obvious. He pointed it out to me.” He kissed her, long and deep, and his hand crept between her thighs. “Wait. The night you moved in with me…”

  “Not just the champagne.” His fingers slipped into her warmth, making her breath catch.

  “And the Bahamas?”

  She had to concentrate to string together the right words. “We could have done this on the beach.”

  “Shit. I am a damn idiot,” he murmured, rolling on top to nudge inside. And then he paused, questions in his eyes. “Are you on…”

  She nodded. “I’m clean, too. So you know.”

  “I wasn’t—”

  “It’s better to just get this out of the way straight off. I’m on birth control, and I tested clean last year.” He opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off again. “I haven’t been with anyone since.” She lifted her hips, pushing into the delicious contact below. “Your turn.”

  He groaned, resisting her invitation. His gaze deepened, turning serious as he stared down at her. “I’m clean. And I’ve never had sex without a condom before.”

  “I thought you… You had a scare once.”

  “It broke. I’ve always had the presence of mind to insist on it, no matter the circumstances. But you…” His hips jerked the slightest of movements. “You fry my brain beyond reason in a way no one ever has. There’s no logic with you.” He dipped his head to lick her neck, nipping at the tender skin. “I just need. And I want.” He lifted to trap her in his dark stare again. “And now that I know how good it feels to sink into your slick heat…” His breath caught as he slowly joined their bodies, his eyes rolling closed.

  She hooked her legs around him, holding him close before he pulled back. “As long as we’re exclusive, you’re good.”

  His eyes snapped open, fire sparking in their depths. “Damn straight we’re exclusive. And it better stay that way, too. No one else gets to have you. Hell, I want to lay flat anyone else who already has.” He growled as he gave his hips a firm, possessive pump. “You’re mine, Robbie.”

  Wrapping her arms around him, she bit at his stubbled jaw. “And you’re mine.”

  He moaned his assent, and all her thoughts evaporated as he moved, hard and deep, taking her straight into an oblivion she had never known.

  Chapter 8

  Robbie forced herself to shorten her stride as she walked down the street, and then shook her hands out, taking deep breaths as she did. When she caught herself speeding up again, she actually stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to mentally smooth herself out. Eyes closed she took another breath. Ignoring the murmured curse of the woman who had to step around her, she tried to logic through her predicament. There was no reason she should be nervous. This was Luc—a man she’d known for a decade. But that was the problem, wasn’t it? It was Luc.

  Christ, you’d think it had been days since she’d last seen him rather than just the one. Really, how much had changed? They were still best friends, she was still in love with him, and she still knew him, trusted him more than anyone else in her life. He was the world to her, as he’d always been. So, they were sleeping together now. So what? What had really changed? Enough. This was Luc.

  Damn! This was Luc!

  “Screw it,” she mumbled, tugging open Hooligan’s door.

  Her heart beat double-time when she saw him behind the bar. He looked…different. Better? Definitely more alluring, now that she knew what was under those jeans and shirt. Jesus. She wasn’t helping her nerves any with that line of thinking, now was she?

  As she approached, Conrad elbowed Luc in the side and nodded towards her. Luc glanced over his shoulder, then bumbled the beer mug he was holding. It crashed to the floor, and he jumped back only to bang into a whole stack of them. The glasses clinked together as he fumbled to steady them, losing another in the process.

  “Nice one, slick,” Conrad commented. He looked at Robbie, then back to Luc with a grin. “What’s your problem, man?”

  “Nothing. Shut the fuck up,” he mumbled, although loud enough for Robbie to hear, and then arrowed his nearly-black eyes right at her.

  She almost laughed at the display, but spared him the humiliation. At least she wasn’t that nervous, and knowing he was, effectively smoothed her out. However… Just because she wouldn’t poke holes in his male ego about his behavior, didn’t mean she couldn’t have a little fun at his expense.

  She smiled as she leaned against the bar. “You okay, Stretch?”

  He cleared his throat, leaned a hip against the bar. “Yeah. Why?”

  “You seem a little tense, is all.” She reached over and trailed a finger down his forearm. “Do I make you nervous now?”

  “Why the hell would you?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because I’m a known temptress when in a relationship. Some have even compared me to a succubus.”

  That got his long, lean frame to relax, and even incited an easy smile with his quick laugh. “Is that so?”

  “Mmm. So you better watch out. Fair warning.”

  He leaned closer, took her hands in his. “Sorry, Squirt. But you couldn’t put me off, or surprise me, if you tried.”

  “Maybe you don’t know me as well as you think. There was this one guy I dated—a quiet, country boy with wire-rimmed glasses. I gobbled him up in one bite.”

  “Maybe he wasn’t man enough to withstand you.”

  “No. He just couldn’t resist my wily ways.”

  Luc chuckled as he laced their fingers. “Babe, I’m pretty sure I could resist you, if I put my mind to it. I hate to tell you, but you’re not the great seductress you seem to think you are.”

  “Really?” She raised a brow and smirked. “You sure you could resist?”

  Conrad stopped picking up the broken glass long enough to lean into Luc and mutter, “Danger, Will Robinson. Danger.”

  “Try me.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that.” She slipped her hands out of his and eased around the end of the bar, pressed up against his side to whisper in his ear. “What if I told you I want you? That I want to take you, to have you, any way I pleased.” She felt him tense as she laid a hand on his thigh.

  “I want explore your body with my hands,”—she lightly dragged her nails across the fabric of his jeans towards his groin— “and with my mouth. I want to taste you.” She flicked his earlobe with her tongue. “Everywhere.”

  “Mmm. The things
I could do to your body, and all before taking you deep inside. Only then would you own me, rule me. God, I’d be at your mercy.” She forced her breath to catch and his hand gripped her hip. “I’d scream your name, beg you for more.”

  She leaned back and studied her work. His jaw was clenched, shoulders tense, tips of the ears red, and eyes clouded with lust. Oh, yeah, nicely done. “Now, what were you saying about resisting me?”

  “I stand corrected.” He shook his head, let out a breath.

  “She’s got my number,” Conrad piped up as he dumped the broken glass. He peered around Luc to see her. “Could you do that part with the tongue again?” He looked up when the door opened and immediately shoved the dustpan into Luc’s hand. “You got things covered here tonight, right Luc?”

  Robbie glanced over to see Lizbeth approaching.

  Conrad didn’t wait for a response and was across the room in a flash. He grabbed Lizbeth, pressing close to devour her mouth. As soon as he pulled away, he spun her around to drag towards the door. Lizbeth, eyes wide, shot a baffled look at Robbie, then waved with a huge grin plastered to her face.

  “Have fun!” Robbie hollered, a second before the door closed behind them.

  “At least someone is benefiting from your sweet talk,” Luc muttered. “Jesus, babe. Where did you learn to talk like that?”

  She laughed, shrugged, and hoped she wasn’t blushing too much. “I don’t know. Just came to me.”

  “I like it,” he said, grabbing her by the hips to pull her near. “I’ve never seen that side of you before. It’s exciting.” He leaned down to kiss her, and she simply melted into him.

  His mouth was amazing. All that heat between them ignited the moment his lips touched hers. It scorched and burned, racing through her body and lighting everything on fire. He consumed and demanded more without saying a word, and she wanted nothing more than to give him everything, anything, he wanted.

  “How long until the bar opens?” she mumbled, her mouth racing down his neck.

  She heard him groan as he put a firm hand on her shoulder. “Dammit. About five minutes.”