Drunk Dial (Hard Core #1) (Hard Core Series)

by Michaels, Carly

  “I can always make time for you,” she said, hugging me. “And I’ll text just as soon as you leave, so you’ll have my cell number too.”

  “Cool,” I said, slinging my purse over my shoulder as she walked me out onto the porch.

  She grinned when she spotted the classic Mustang. “Oh wow, I bet Ash is green with envy. I remember how much he wanted one of those when we were kids.”

  “Actually, this is Ash’s,” I explained, opening the car door. “I’m just borrowing it for a while. My real ride is a Harley named Pearl.” I winked at her before I slipped my sunglasses into place.

  She laughed as she gripped the porch railing. “I love how fearless you are, Lace.”

  Not fearless, I thought as I slipped into the driver’s seat and checked my rearview mirror. Just really good at pretending.

  Chapter Fifteen

  York

  Lacy and I were working side by side in my kitchen, with her chopping vegetables for the salad while I seasoned the steaks, when I asked, “How did it go with Reese this afternoon?”

  When she looked up at me, her smile made me feel as if I’d been sucker-punched. That was when I realized I hadn’t been off the mark when I claimed to be falling in love with her. I was falling hard and fast, and I couldn’t help but wonder whether she felt it too. Or was I delusional to think that a girl who’d been through as much as she had could ever learn to love and trust completely?

  “It was so good to see her again. Thanks for encouraging me to go.”

  I’d do just about anything to see her light up like that, even if it meant pushing her out of her comfort zone once in a while. “I’m glad it went well.”

  I reached into the fridge for another bottled water for me and the bottle of wine to refill her glass. Now that I was back in training, I’d traded the alcohol for water, and I felt a hell of a lot better for it.

  “I got the impression she still has feelings for Coop,” she said, tossing the salad in a large stainless steel bowl before reaching for the eggplant and zucchini we intended to grill. “Though that may be wishful thinking on my part. I’ve never seen him happier than he was with Reese.” She sighed. “They were so good together.”

  “Kind of like us?” I asked, wrapping my arms around her after I topped up her glass.

  She tipped her head back, smiling at me. “We are pretty good together, aren’t we?”

  “The best.” I dropped a kiss on her lips as my way of telling her that this was shaping up to be the best relationship I’d ever had. Though I didn’t have a history of long-lasting or healthy relationships to compare it to.

  As though she’d been reading my mind, she said, “You told me about your last girlfriend, the one who cheated on you. But what about the others? Any other serious relationships in your past?”

  “Not really. Fighting’s been my life for a long time now. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for relationships. Starting next week, I’ll be training six hours a day again, and Dante’s on me about doing some promo stuff for the fight against Morales, which means travel.” I hated the thought of leaving her, even for a few days.

  “Duty calls, huh?” she asked, faking a smile. I could already tell the difference between a real smile and a forced one. When it was real, those gorgeous green eyes of hers sparkled like emeralds, making me hope what we’d found could last.

  “Yeah, my agent’s been on me about some endorsement deals too,” I said, reaching into the salad bowl for a slice of cucumber. “I really should look those over. See if anything grabs me.” I was pretty selective about the products I endorsed, which drove my agent crazy because it meant a smaller paycheck for him. Most of the athletes he worked with would slap their names on anything for a six- or seven-figure payday.

  “I get the feeling money doesn’t really motivate you,” she said, arranging the veggies on a platter.

  “It doesn’t really.” I looked around the kitchen, which was bigger than some of the places we’d lived in when I was growing up. “I have more than enough already. Of course, in this business, your body takes a hell of a beating, so you have to invest, you know, plan for the day when your body can’t take the abuse anymore.”

  “Have you thought about what you’d like to do when you retire?” she asked, carrying her wine and the vegetable platter outside while I grabbed the steaks and cooking utensils.

  “Maybe buy a gym or martial arts studio. Probably train other fighters.” I couldn’t imagine giving up the sport I loved. It was one of the two things that still got my blood pumping. That, and Lacy. “I could hire you to manage it for me.”

  I grinned when she plopped down in a lounge chair and put her feet up, flashing me those tanned, toned thighs in a pair of faded jean shorts.

  “Damn,” I said, turning on the barbeque and closing the lid. “How the hell am I supposed to keep from burning our dinner with you looking so sexy?” I leaned over to kiss her, trapping her between my arms.

  “We could always put dinner on the back burner and have dessert first,” she said, watching me with hooded eyes as my hand trailed up her leg.

  “Baby, I’m gonna need all that protein for fuel.” I flicked my tongue over her earlobe before tracing the shell. “Given what I have in mind for you.”

  “You’re such a tease,” she whispered breathlessly as I pulled away.

  I tried to distract myself by cleaning the grill, but my raging hard-on encouraged me to get this dinner over with in record time so we could get on to that dessert she’d promised me. “You didn’t say what you think about managing a martial arts studio. Does the idea appeal to you?”

  She slipped the oversized sunglasses that were perched on her head into place over her eyes as she tipped her head back to enjoy the early evening rays. “Maybe someday. But right now, Ash still needs me at the club.”

  “Speaking of Ash,” I said, wondering whether I’d misread his signals when he’d met Ace. “Are you sure he’s okay with me setting up Rachel and Ace? I sensed some tension from him when I brought Ace to the club.”

  “Honestly?” she asked, turning her head to watch me. “I think my brothers may be as messed up as I am when it comes to relationships and commitment.”

  “That’s reassuring,” I muttered.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” I shook my head, feeling like a coward for not telling her the truth—that I was disappointed she still considered herself inept when it came to love and intimacy. I knew we still had a long way to go, but I felt as though we’d come a long way in a short time and had hoped she felt the same way. Apparently not.

  “How about the truth now?”

  I should have known she’d call me out for trying to evade her question. “You were telling me about Ash,” I said, trying to distract her. “You think he still has feelings for Rachel?”

  “Yes. Now about you and me…”

  That got my attention. After setting the meat on the grill and closing the lid, I turned to face her. The growing knot in my stomach told me I should have thought twice before opening this can of worms. “What about us?”

  “You know I think you’re great, right?”

  “Just stop right there,” I advised, raising my index finger. “Because I sense a but coming next, and I really don’t want to hear that shit tonight.” I was getting frustrated that she seemed determined to keep putting up roadblocks while I was prepared to barrel full steam ahead.

  “York.” She walked toward me slowly and slipped her arms around my waist. “I want to be honest with you. Always. If I told you that I wasn’t scared of this thing between us, I’d be lying, and I won’t do that to you.”

  I should appreciate her honestly, especially since so many of my previous girlfriends had lied to me and deceived me, but the truth was hard to hear, especially since I wanted nothing more than for her to tell me she had no reservations or fears about us moving forward.

  “So tell me what I can do to erase your fears,” I whispered, lowering my head until m
y lips were grazing her neck. “Just say the word, and I’ll do it.”

  “Just keep being you.” She gripped my chin and turned my face toward hers so she could look me in the eye. “I’m pretty sure you’re the best damn man I’ve ever met. I feel more for you today than I did yesterday, and I’m pretty sure I’ll feel even better about us by tomorrow. But it may take me some time to catch up to you. I hope that’s okay?”

  I feared that was her way of telling me that while I may be falling in love with her, she wasn’t there yet and didn’t know when she would be. “Sure. It’s all good, baby.” Pumping the brakes sounded like a shit idea to me, but what choice did I have?

  ***

  Lacy’s eyes widened when I walked into the room with a whipped cream dispenser after inviting her to get naked and wait for me.

  “What do you plan to do with that?” she asked, fisting the sheets as her eyes darkened with lust.

  “You promised me dessert,” I said, shaking the can. “I’m collecting on that promise.”

  She rolled her lower lip between her teeth while raising her arms above her head, thrusting out her full breasts. “I didn’t realize you intended to feast on me.”

  “Most definitely.” Since I was training, I was all about eating clean. But tonight, with Lacy, I planned to get very dirty.

  I set the can on the nightstand before reaching for the button on my jeans and peeling them off slowly. Her tongue circled her kiss-swollen lips, making me even harder. I watched her watching me as I lifted my T-shirt, exposing the six-pack I’d worked so hard for. I was working out to beat my opponent, but the look in Lacy’s eyes reminded me of all the other benefits of being a beast in the gym.

  “What about those?” she asked, her eyes darting to my black boxer briefs while she tipped her legs open. “Aren’t they coming off?”

  My erection was already straining to break free, so I hooked my thumbs in the waistband, giving her a cocky smile when the evidence of my arousal became even more obvious. “You like what you see?”

  “You have no idea how much,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.

  I had some idea. No other woman had ever turned me on the way she did, and I hoped the feeling was mutual. She set me on fire in the sack. But the fact that she could light me up outside of it had me convinced she was the one.

  “Hold on,” I said, my eyes flicking to the iron posts decorating my headboard. “And don’t let go.”

  She sucked in a sharp breath but did as she was told. I knew that wasn’t easy for her. Lacy was used to giving orders, not taking them. But the fact that she trusted me with her body gave me hope that she would one day trust me with her heart too.

  I climbed on top of her, supporting my weight with my hands as I looked into the most breathtaking eyes I’d ever seen. I could read everything she was thinking and feeling in those eyes: trepidation, excitement, anticipation. I claimed her mouth, even more turned on by the fact that she couldn’t touch me the way I knew she wanted to.

  I had a pair of handcuffs in my nightstand for occasions such as this, but given Lacy’s history, I couldn’t imagine using them. At least not until I was one hundred percent certain that she trusted not only me, but her feelings for me.

  “You’re gorgeous.” I’d told her before, but it had never been truer. With her disheveled dark hair spread over my crisp white sheets and her face flushed with excitement, she looked like the perfect combination of angel and devil. My fantasy come to life.

  “So are you,” she said, her eyes hungrily tracing my chest before dipping to my erection, which I swear grew bigger and bolder from her attention.

  I grabbed the whipped cream while she raised her hips, trying to make contact with the part of me she’d confessed was her very favorite. I hoped in time she would learn to love my heart even more than my body, but I would take what I could get. For now.

  I leaned back, resting my weight on my calves as I took her in. She was humming with eagerness. I held the pointed tip above her taut nipples, licking my lips as I imagined how good she would taste combined with the sweet, creamy treat.

  “We’re going to get your sheets all sticky.”

  “It’s okay,” I said with a half-smile. “We would have anyway.”

  After drawing a perfect circle around each of her rosy nipples, I leaned down and lashed the swirl with my tongue until she moaned, arching into my mouth. I licked her clean before drawing a line down her tight stomach while air seeped through her teeth.

  “Jesus, York…”

  I knew I was driving her crazy, but not half as crazy as she made me. This girl had been teasing and tantalizing me since the day I laid eyes on her, and I wouldn’t relax until I had some assurance that she wasn’t going anywhere.

  I took my time licking her flushed skin, drawing circles and figure eights with my tongue until she was spotless… and breathless. I glanced at her hands, wrapped around the brushed iron. Her knuckles were turning white, giving me some hint as to how much she wanted to touch me.

  “Hmm,” I murmured, pretending to consider my options as my eyes mapped her beautiful body. “Where should I use this next?”

  “Oh God, please…” she cried, gyrating her hips. “Don’t torture me. I can’t wait to feel your mouth on me.”

  She wasn’t the only one who was anxious. I was already salivating. I tilted the star-shaped point so it was mere inches from her swollen clit, and she whimpered before biting her lip to control the sound. But she couldn’t hide anything from me. I could see how much she wanted me. I could smell it in the air, clinging to her skin, and I couldn’t wait to taste it.

  The sound of the dispenser filled the silence while the cream gathered, covering all of the delicate skin I couldn’t wait to kiss and lick.

  “It’s cold,” she whispered, her eyes locking with mine.

  “And you’re fucking melting it.”

  This woman turned me inside out, making it hard to remember my own goddamn name sometimes, and I knew we’d only scratched the surface. I would soon be so lost to her there’d be no way out. But I wasn’t looking for an out. I was looking for a way in. Her heart. Her life. Forever.

  “Please, York…”

  Her quiet plea did me in, because I knew how hard it was for her to acknowledge she needed anyone or anything. The fact that I made her feel weak and needy and desperate, just as she made me feel, pointed to progress. But not enough. Maybe by the end of the night, after I’d worshipped every inch of her body, erasing every bad memory the worthless bastard who’d touched her before had imprinted, maybe then she’d admit she needed me in her life.

  I lashed at her with my tongue, revelling in her taste and the sound of her cries as I nipped her clit before devouring her. Within seconds, her entire body was trembling as she thrashed, trying to hold on while letting go.

  Kissing the inside of her thigh, I made my way up her stomach, pressing open-mouthed kisses on her warm, sticky skin. “Sweetheart,” I whispered, pressing my lips to her ear. “Are you on the pill?”

  Her eyes widened in stunned silence while I reached for her hands, then kissed the insides of her wrists. “Yeah. Why?”

  I knew this would be a huge step in our relationship, if she’d let me forgo the condom tonight. It would convey a level of trust I craved, but I didn’t want to pressure her. It had to be her decision.

  “Lace,” I said, framing her face with my hands as I looked into her eyes, “I’m clean. I swear to you. I’ve never had sex without a condom, but with you…” I dropped my head to her shoulder, suddenly feeling vulnerable. “I want to feel as close to you as I can get. I want you to feel me. I want to fill you…” I nipped her shoulder. “I want to be a part of you.”

  Her palms pressed into my shoulders, and at first I thought she was pushing me away. She sighed. “I want that too.”

  “Are you sure?”

  I’d never do anything that made her uncomfortable, but this was as big a deal for me as it was for her. I’d dated more than
a few women who’d hinted at getting pregnant with my baby. The fact that I was willing to take Lacy at her word about the pill sent the message that she didn’t have to prove anything to me. I believed in her and what we had.

  “Positive.” She kissed me passionately, tangling her tongue with mine while our bodies found each other.

  “Last chance to change your mind,” I said as I probed her, waiting for her to seal the deal.

  She did with a thrust of her hips and a wicked gleam in her eye. I held her hips as I inched into her, fighting the urge to thrust into her hard and fast the way I wanted to.

  “Don’t hold back.”

  The last thing I wanted was to hurt her in any way, but my body took over while my brain short-circuited at her quiet command. When I was fully seated inside her, I had the good sense to stop for half a second to make sure she was okay. Her nod of assurance answered the question I hadn’t asked.

  “You don’t have to worry about me,” she said, sensing my hesitation. “I’m good.”

  Though a part of me wanted to unleash all of the pent-up hunger that had built while watching her all night, imagining all of the things I wanted to do to her, I forced myself to ease into it for fear of hurting her.

  Seemingly frustrated with the slow build, she lifted and pivoted her hips, drawing me deeper. She got that naughty little sparkle in her eye that said, game on, as she clenched me so hard I swore from the intensity. I finally pinned her hands above her head and gave her exactly what she wanted. Hard and fast.

  I filled her completely, but nothing could compare to the way she filled me. She made me feel whole, complete, in a way I never had before. Not even winning a championship fight could make me feel the way making love to her did. Because that’s exactly what this was. Even though she made me lose control, I was still making love to her, saying with my body everything she wasn’t ready to hear me say with words. I loved this girl, and I wanted to tell her and show her the only way she would let me.

  “Oh…” Her breath was coming in short bursts, and she squeezed her eyes shut.