“I’m hurt.”
“Yeah, right.” She pointed. “That’s the look right there, the one that says you know everything.”
“I know everything now, don’t I?”
She threw a biscuit at him. He caught it and popped it into his mouth.
“Okay, so even before I told you what happened, you had to suspect we were up to something.”
“I never suspected you.”
“You don’t know me that well. I could have been looking for money.”
“Doubtful Creed would leave anything in there.”
“I might not know that.”
“Your point?”
“We—I mean that idiot Basil—was doing something he shouldn’t. So why did you cover for him? You even got his job back?”
“I’m a sucker for the underdog.”
She blinked at him. “Really?”
“Really. I have a weakness for the weak. I can’t help myself.”
He made the claim lightly, but she saw in his expression that he was dead serious.
“So the time you were arrested, that night you were helping someone?”
He seemed to think over how he should answer. After a moment, he set his plate aside and grabbed hers to do the same. When he opened his arms to her, she couldn’t resist scooting nearer to him. Duke ran his hand down her middle and set his fingers just above her snatch, which did cruel things to her core. Yet, she would have stopped him if he tried to move away.
The strength in his chest held her upper body without a problem, and she settled into his hold and breathed in his natural male scent. Duke let her enjoy him for a while and then raised her chin so he could kiss her lips. He tasted like honey, and she resisted gobbling him up.
“That arrest and every other one was about me helping someone in trouble. I don’t advertise it. Most of the time I just react without thinking. I admit it gets me in hot water more often than not.”
“I guess I should have known after what you told me about the army and why you were discharged.”
He shrugged.
“So what happened that one night? You kept joking around talking about you helped an old lady cross the street. Nobody gets into trouble for that.”
He grinned. “Do you really want to know?”
“I guess so.”
“It’s not as interesting a story as a few others in my past. In fact, it’s boring and straightforward. An old woman was trying to drive the wrong way on a one way street.”
She gaped. “How could she not know? Almost all the streets here are one way!”
“Doesn’t mean you know which way they head. Unfortunately, her car chose to break down at that moment. I stopped to help. Her son, who she had dropped off at some shop not too long before, came running up and started berating his mother. She was already confused and crying, so I busted him in the mouth. After that, I pushed her car with a couple other men who were around at the time. We got it out of traffic, and that was that.”
“Do you always have to fight?”
“Not always.”
“It wasn’t over because you were arrested. Did the old lady charge you for something?”
“No, the son brought the cops back later.” He shrugged like it was no big deal and stretched.
“If you didn’t have Creed’s money to back you up, would you be so careless?”
For an instant, annoyance flashed in his eyes. “I spent years out of contact with my family. I have always supported myself. The only times I called Creed for help was when what I did could reflect badly on my cousins.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insinuate—”
“Didn’t you?”
She pulled out of his hold and stood, but he reached up and dragged her back down. She landed on her ass, and he flattened her and rolled atop her to pin her to the blanket.
“Duke!”
His voice was low and dangerous. He stared into her eyes, and she swallowed a few times at what she saw there. “Do you think just because you made me angry, I’ll let you go?”
“I…”
“Angry sex is the best kind.”
“Who said anything about—”
“Tell me now, Kiyah.” He nosed her chin up so he could get to her throat. His tongue shot out and scorched her skin. Her pussy clenched in anticipation, and she squirmed beneath him. “Tell me no, baby. Otherwise, I’m going to strip off your clothes and take that sexy body of yours again and again.”
Was he insane? There was no way in hell she’d tell him no. Just like he said, he’d only gotten hotter in her eyes when she made him mad. She wanted to beg him to do what he threatened, but she tried to play it cool.
She tapped his hip, and when he made to move, probably thinking she was saying no, she reached for the button on his jeans and pinched it open. In seconds she had the zipper down and was inside his boxers, seeking the treasure she’d enjoyed the last time.
Duke stiffened and shut his eyes. His jaw went slack, and he groaned. Her fingers slid over his shaft, stroking him from base to tip. He arched his hips a little, encouraging her movements.
“Kiyah,” he whispered, and not only her body but also her heart sparked. She tried to stymie it and separate the two, to make her conscious understand this was a physical act between two adults and nothing more. Her emotions jumbled, but she refused to back off. After some time, he stopped her hand and pulled it away. He looked into her eyes. “If I don’t stop you there, I’m going to come. Your touch is killing me.”
“You should have let me finish,” she teased.
He shook his head. “Oh, no. The best pleasure is when I’m inside you. There’s no real satisfaction with a hand job.”
He set her hand above her head and had the other join it. Then he went to work on her blouse. When he had the blouse opened, he paused to stare down at her breasts. Tracing along the edges of the bra, he studied her body. She began to pant, her nipples growing tighter with his teasing.
“Duke.”
“Let me look. I want to memorize every curve. I want to taste every inch.” With those words, he dragged her bra downward, exposing one breast. His thumb grazed her right nipple, and she trembled. “Mm, you like that, don’t you, baby?”
If he would just stop calling her baby. She got such a damn thrill every time he said it. He probably knew the affect he had on her, the bastard. She arched her back, driving her breasts toward him. He rewarded her by sucking the nipple between his lips and laving it with his tongue. She cried out his name and grabbed hold of his shirtsleeves.
“Duke, I want it.”
He moaned against her breast and planted gentle kisses all around the mound. “What do you want, baby?”
She whimpered and tugged at her pants. The sooner she could get the stupid clothing off, the sooner she’d feel his hot skin against hers. He stilled her hand and raised it a second time above her head.
“Patience,” he murmured. “I’ll give you all you want.”
Patience was the last thing she could exercise. Her body was on fire. She reached for his cock and stroked it, squeezing just enough to elicit a tortured sigh from him. There, now he saw how much she had to have him.
The stubborn man worked his length with his hips, sliding it between her fingers. He didn’t mind tormenting himself with the need for more. She watched with slitted eyes as he tilted his head back a little, just feeling what she did to him. After a few moments, his lips parted, and she imagined herself kissing them.
“Stop.” He shuddered. “I’m on the edge again.”
“You like being tortured.”
He grinned. “Don’t you?”
“No.”
“Aw, too bad because I have every intention of doing so.”
She protested halfheartedly when he stripped her of all her clothing and spread her legs. For a crazy second, she thought of pushing his shoulders back when he tried to go down on her. Sanity returned and she let him. Just as before—no far better—he satisfied her bo
dy. Duke parted her pussy lips and began eating her wetness. She howled and wriggled all over the place, begging, pleading, insisting he stop, then demanding he continue.
He hoisted her thighs over his shoulders and dragged her ass off the floor. The sounds he made with his mouth, the moans as he feasted, she had to bite her tongue to keep the neighbors from knowing the pleasure he gave her.
“Duke, I can’t take it!”
“You can and you will.” His gaze was dangerously dark when he raised his head to look at her. She shivered, half frightened of him and yet drawn beyond reason. What if she became addicted to the feelings he made her experience? She laughed inside at the ridiculous thoughts and squeezed her legs around his head. He reached up and shoved her hips down on the floor. Following, he devoured her, licking up every drop of her essence.
An orgasm played at the edges of her core. She willed it away. Not yet. If she could feel this way for the rest of the night, tomorrow, and on and on, everything would be right. The skill Duke used with his tongue made her wish impossible. Her body responded to every flick until she burned from her core out to her limbs and to every part of her body.
“I’m going to come.”
“Say my name,” he ordered.
“D-Duke.” She couldn’t have helped crying out his name if she tried, but she didn’t attempt to hold back. He had to know what he did, his cruelty to play her body until she lost all control. He covered her clit with his lips and sucked hard. She screamed and then shoved the back of her hand to her mouth.
“Oh no, you don’t.” He dragged her hand down. She chewed her bottom lip. When he went back to her clit, she came undone. The orgasm roared through her, shattering all resistance. This time, when she screamed, he replaced his mouth with his fingers and moved like lightning up her body to cover her mouth with his. With expert movements, his fingers worked her clit all the way through her orgasm, and he muffled her screams with his mouth.
Panting and exhausted, she dropped her head back. Duke sat up. She watched him heavy-lidded as he knelt to undress. She loved the show he gave her of uncovering his sexy body. Her gaze followed every movement and anticipated the reveal of his taut skin and tight muscles.
Without realizing it, she moaned a little and wondered at the fact that his entire family was built so fine. Other men must weep with jealousy. She wished she could see the parents that had produced such incredible specimens as the Marquette men. Then she forgot all about genes when Duke began to roll on a condom. He was so big and stiff. Was he that thick the last time? She couldn’t recall, but she liked it. What woman wouldn’t like a man with such a fat cock? She’d had a baby, and she wasn’t delusional to think her snatch wasn’t as snug as it had been before giving birth. Duke’s dick might not be a hard fit, but she’d feel him big time.
“Ready for me?” he asked.
She blew out an amused breath because the last time, he had just come on in, barreling his way. That was Duke, and she liked it more than she wanted to. “I can take you.”
One of his eyebrows rose. “Why does that sound like a challenge?”
“Because everything anyone says is a challenge to you.”
He sat back on his ass and drew her up and onto his lap. With strong fingers, he raised her. She let out a small squeal of delight because she was chunky, and he acted like he didn’t even notice her weight.
She came down on his cock, and just like she hoped, the fit was nice and snug. He wasn’t painful. In fact, it felt so good to be filled with Duke’s cock she had to grab hold of his shoulders a minute just to gather her senses. The fact that they weren’t on a bed this time meant his body and hers didn’t sink to ease the impact. He felt harder and thicker, more like an amazing invasion.
“Yes,” she moaned. “Yes, it feels so good. Duke, make me scream again.”
“Oh, I will, baby. Hold on.”
His flattened hand ran up her back and he pressed her forward so she had to lie on his chest and cling to his shoulders. He rocked her body, guiding her movements. All she had to do was go along with whatever he did. His dick slid in and out of her, drawing cries and whimpers to her lips. Her head dropped forward, and her eyes shut. His rough breathing and soft grunts drove her desire higher.
“Damn,” he growled.
“What’s wrong?”
“Shh.” He worked her faster, bouncing her on his cock. She knew for a fact her pussy muscles were loosened after coming, yet it seemed like the fit was snugger. This man had swollen even more. He confirmed it with his next words. “You’re turning me on like crazy, baby. I can’t hang on. Your breasts, your pussy, all of this soft body. Damn it, I’m going to come too soon!”
She was driving him insane, and she grinned with her nose against his shoulder. His hold tightened all of a sudden, and he drove her down hard so his cock slid deep inside her. He held the position, and she felt it, even through the condom—a pulsating, hot sensation. Far too soon, he reached his release.
The hand on her back slid to her nape and then into her hair. He tugged gently. She raised her head, and he claimed her mouth. After a long while, they parted but only by an inch or two. He stared into her eyes, and she looked back. Something powerful came over her. Fear followed, and she stuffed it down as she lowered her gaze.
“Don’t be disappointed,” he said. “I’ll take you again.”
“How can I possibly be disappointed? I—” She gasped. Out of nowhere a second orgasm hit. She wiggled on his lap until it worked its way through her core. Afterward, he raised her up and set her on the blanket. She stretched, getting the kinks out of her muscles and grinning like a loon.
Duke popped off the condom. Although she had her eyes closed, she couldn’t believe she heard him unraveling another condom so soon. Maybe he was just getting it ready for when he was hard enough again.
She rolled onto her stomach and tucked her hands under her head. A moan of satisfaction slid out, and she tried to stifle it.
“No, don’t do that.” His voice came from nearby. She opened her eyes in time to see him sliding up behind her. A strong hand settled beside her head, and then the weight of his solid body came down on her.
“Let me turn over, Duke.”
“You stay exactly the way you are. All I need is for you to open your legs for me. Can you do that?”
She was blown away by the feel of his dick, hard as a rock, sliding across her ass. Arching with delight, she mumbled, “Oh, yes! I can do that.”
Chapter Thirteen
Duke woke up to some kind of incessant ringing. He wanted to swat it away, but it kept coming, disturbing his rest. By the time he opened his eyes and scrubbed a hand over his face, the ringing had stopped. He gazed around him. Takiyah lay in front of him, and his body was sealed to hers from behind. His cock was still inside her, and he swore. He should have pulled out and taken the condom off.
As he did so now, he watched her beautiful face, illuminated by the moonlight. A memory washed over him of how many times he’d made love to her tonight. He had lost count. Each time she or he came, they had taken a short break. She teased him, or he teased her, and before he knew it he was hard again. Being multi-orgasmic, she could come as many times as she was stimulated. He hadn’t come more than two or three times, but the sensations were there, the pleasure, which made the night unbelievable.
Even as he watched her sleep, he started to want her again. After scrounging around for his phone, he discovered it was three in the morning. No, he wouldn’t try again. She needed rest, yet already he was thinking about when he could make another date with her. They didn’t often have their evenings off from work, but maybe afterward. He knew it would be a challenge because of her son. She wouldn’t want to neglect him.
Duke rose to go to the bathroom. He cleaned himself up the best he could, realizing he hadn’t supplied the house with towels or anything. He’d have to make sure to remedy that for her sake.
“Whoa, bud.” He looked at himself in the mirror. “W
hat are you thinking here?”
He searched himself. Love? Romance? He gulped. A relationship? The idea of having one had never occurred to him before. There were a string of women in his past, most as beautiful as Takiyah. Some even had her sass. What made him start thinking stupid when it came to her?
He considered his cousins. Insanely, all three of them were married to black women. Creed had finally broken down and married Shada a month or so ago. To his brothers and Duke’s disappointment, it hadn’t been the big affair that Damen and Heaven’s marriage was. Duke figured Creed agreed just to get Shada pinned down or vice versa. He couldn’t recall right off what the problem had been.
Duke questioned himself. Did he have some crazy notion that he needed to get a black woman as well? Jeez, how much more of a sensation did the Marquettes have to create? He came to the conclusion that wasn’t so. Odd circumstances moved his cousins, but for him, he hadn’t wanted Takiyah in the first place. He’d been after her girlfriend. In fact, he was pretty sure if he stopped seeing Takiyah, he would go back to his old preferences.
He pressed a hand against his chest in annoyance. The thought of giving up Takiyah brought a pain there that startled and pissed him off. Hell, he didn’t even know her. He burst out laughing. No, he knew her all right. That body… For a few lustful minutes, he closed his eyes, reliving the sensations of being inside her. His dick belonged in her pussy. He craved to be on top of her again and again, making her cry out in pleasure for him. The thought of it almost overwhelmed him to the point that he started for the bathroom door.
He stopped with his hand on the knob and breathed. “Calm down, Duke.”
A woman shouldn’t have this effect on him. That kind of thing was dangerous, and it could get a man in trouble. He could almost see her leading him around by the nose, demanding his attention. Cringing, he shook his head. No way in hell. The next thing he knew, he saw her in his mind’s eye with a baby on her hip, one that looked suspiciously like a Marquette. He gave a small shout of horror.
“Duke?”
He stiffened. Pounding his chest with a fist to get his heart to calm down, he waited a beat before leaving the bathroom. By the time he reached the living room, his easy smile was in place. When he saw her, he knew it could be true. He could give her his baby and keep her.
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