Hard

by Jenika Snow

  “I’m good,” he said in a deep voice, and slowly lifted his gaze back to her face. She turned her attention forward, and he did the same, seeing Crestin looking at both of them strangely. The waitress came at that moment with the pitcher of pop, and after setting it down she left them alone. It was only a few more minutes before the waitress came back with their pizzas, and the silence during that time had been a little strange and awkward. Maybe Crestin suspected something, or maybe she was just caught up in the shit with that fucker? Hell, maybe he was reading into everything too much?

  “Are you guys okay? You’ve both been acting weird since I came back to town,” Crestin said as she grabbed a plate and slice of pizza.

  “I’m good. I’m fine,” Izabella said quickly, maybe too quickly because it seemed forced.

  Crestin lifted her gaze to Izabella and lifted a brow. “Okay, you’re good.” Crestin smiled and lifted her slice of pizza to her mouth. “And you’re good, too?” his sister asked him before taking a bite.

  Corbin leaned back in the seat. “I’m always good.” He grinned when Crestin rolled her eyes. Yeah, playing it cool when the woman he wanted was pressed right up next to him was hard as fuck.

  ****

  Yes, this was just as awkward as Izabella had imagined it would be, but fortunately it had to be almost time for them to leave. The pizzas were almost gone, thanks to Corbin nearly eating one alone. But a man his size, with the muscle he packed on, clearly had to keep up the caloric intake.

  Glancing over at him as he spoke with Crestin about her work, Izabella couldn’t help but admire him. He looked like he might have shaved this morning, because there was just the faintest five o’clock shadow going on along his face. His short dark hair was slightly messy, as if he’s been running his hands through it all day. It looked good on him, really good.

  Crestin said something that made him laugh, and the side view of him smiling, of his straight, white teeth flashing, has this wave of arousal slamming into her. She sucked in a breath, trying to act, seem, unaffected by his close proximity, by the memory of what they’d shared the other night. But it was so hard. And then Crestin’s phone rang, and the conversation ceased.

  “Damn,” Crestin said softly. “I’m going to take this. It’s my work, and they only call me when it’s an emergency.” She got up and left the table before either of them could say anything in response.

  Izabella looked at Corbin, who already had his gaze on her. They looked into each other’s eyes for long seconds, and then she felt the slightest touch of Corbin putting his hand on her thigh. Izabella’s entire body was tense, and she couldn’t breathe. It was like everything else faded away at the feel of Corbin touching her under the table, of his fingers moving back and forth over her leg.

  Neither said anything for a moment, but the heavy weight of his hand on her was louder than anything she could have shouted.

  “You’re nervous around me now,” he said low, his voice deep, slightly scratchy.

  “Yes.” Izabella didn’t bother denying it, because she knew it was clear as day, no matter how much she tried to hide it.

  “Why?” He leaned in only an inch closer, but it felt like he was on top of her now. The dark shirt he wore was short-sleeved, and snug around his muscular arms and chest. And the tattoos that covered his arms and biceps, the sleeves of ink that had her pussy wet and her nipples tingling, were right in her face, tempting her to just let him take her right here.

  “Because of what we did, Corbin,” she said softly, not sure where Crestin had gone off to, but not wanting her friend to hear this, not yet at least. “Your sister is here, we’re having dinner, and this is awkward as hell.” Clearing her throat, she saw Crestin returning. Izabella pushed Corbin’s hand off her thigh, even if she really wanted it to stay there, to even move up to the part of her body that ached for him. There was a time and place for that, if that was even going to happen again, and it wasn’t here and now.

  “This isn’t over with us, Izabella,” he said in a deep, but low voice.

  “Guys, bad news,” Crestin said as she came back to the table and sat down. “There is some major crisis with the finances at work, and I have to head back early.”

  “What?” Corbin was the one to ask. He looked relaxed, despite the hardness of his body.

  With one arm on the table, and the other slung over the back of the booth, his fingers perilously close to her shoulder, he looked the epitome of unconcerned. But Izabella knew him better than that. She could feel the hardness of his body, the way he always seemed in control.

  “When do you have to go back?”

  Crestin looked disappointed as she stared at Izabella. “I’ll head back tonight, so I can be there first thing in the morning.”

  “You just got here,” Izabella said, sad she hadn’t seen her friend for very long, and especially since they hadn’t really been able to talk.

  I didn’t get to tell her about Corbin. What would you have said to her about it anyway?

  “I know. I wish I could stay longer, but we can plan to hang out again. Maybe you two can come visit me?”

  “Why can’t the firm have someone else handle the insurance bullshit?”

  Crestin gave her twin an exasperated look. “Corbin, you know I’m the one that handles that, and with this just coming up I can’t just tell them I’ll be back when I feel like it.”

  Corbin didn’t answer, but he did start tapping his fingers on the back of the booth.

  “It’s okay,” Izabella said and gave Corbin an annoyed look. He lifted the corner of his mouth in a sardonic smirk, but she could still see that fire burning below the depths of his eyes. “I’d love to come visit you. We’ll set something up.”

  Cresting grinned widely. “Good. I can’t wait.”

  The three of them left the restaurant, and once she was in the car with Crestin Izabella glanced out the passenger window to look at Corbin. He was in his truck, his focus on her. Even from the distance she could see the intensity in his gaze, could feel the heat in his stare.

  “Hey, what’s going on with you?”

  Crestin’s words had Izabella tearing her focus away from Corbin.

  “What do you mean?” She tried to sound nonchalant, but her heart was pounding fast as she looked at her friend. The silence stretched between them, and she could sense Crestin wanted to press this more.

  “I don’t know,” Crestin said and exhaled. “You just seem … preoccupied with your thoughts, or something.” Crestin narrowed her eyes slightly, as if she’d just thought of something. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

  Izabella nodded. “I’m fine, really. I just have work and stuff on my mind.” It was that other stuff on her mind that was consuming her, and the fact she hadn’t told Crestin yet was eating away at her. But Izabella wanted to talk to Corbin first, to see where they stood. Even if he only wanted to have a platonic relationship with her, she knew she couldn’t hide this from her friend. It would come out eventually, but first Izabella needed to get her head on straight and see where this was all going to lead her.

  And you’re going to find that out tonight.

  Chapter Ten

  Izabella gave Crestin one more hug before stepping back and letting her get in the car. They’d gotten back home no more than ten minutes ago, and already Crestin was heading back.

  “You sure you’ll be okay?”

  Crestin held onto the top of the top, one leg in, her head turned toward Izabella. “I’ll be fine.”

  “I’ll be calling you to come visit. I mean it.”

  Crestin smiled even wider. “Good. I’ll hold you to it.” Crestin came around and gave Izabella another big bear hug, pulled away after a few seconds and walked over to Corbin, who still stood by his truck. After giving him a hug, and whispering something that had Corbin’s eyes widening and glancing between his twin and Izabella, Crestin pulled away and got back in her car. After Crestin was gone Izabella stood there, her arms wrapped around her, the
thoughts going through her head consuming every part of her. Glancing at Corbin once more, she knew it needed to be now where they talked about this.

  Now or never. You won’t know where you stand unless you just go with your gut and be honest.

  Making her way toward him, she stopped when she stood a few feet from Corbin, her throat closing in and her mouth dry. “We need to talk about the other night, about what we’re going to do.” Saying those words had been harder than she thought. They sounded tight, forced, even to her, but she was glad she’d said them. No better way to say something that was hard than just push it out and hope for the best.

  Even if he doesn’t want me this still needs to be aired out.

  “Yeah, I agree. We do need to talk about the other night, because it’s fucking driving me crazy, Izabella.” He took a step closer, but he still made sure to keep a few feet between them.

  She nodded, feeling better that he agreed they needed to talk about this.

  “We fucked,” he stated matter-of-factly.

  She felt her face heat and cleared her throat. “Crestin needs to know, at some point, because keeping this from her isn’t right.”

  “I agree.”

  She felt relieved he felt the same way.

  “But I think right now we need to talk about you and me, about what happened, and what will happen next.”

  Hearing him say that should have made her feel happy, because it’s what she wanted, too. But this fear slammed into her.

  “I want you, Izabella. Surely you can see that.”

  Did she see that? Or did she see it as they’d slept together because she’d been upset and had wanted him bad enough she didn’t care about his past?

  It’s his past. You have a past, too. But he’s used to beautiful women.

  “You are beautiful, Izabella.”

  She felt her eyes widen, knowing that last thought hadn’t been kept to herself. “God, I said that out loud,” she whispered.

  He moved another foot closer, and soon he was toe-to-toe with her, the scent of his cologne surrounding her. He was so big, so manly, that she felt wholly feminine standing in front of him. Common sense left her, and she just wanted him to take her over his shoulder and be all caveman on her. Izabella wanted him to claim her, tell her she was it for him, but reality was a nasty bitch, as well.

  “I do want Crestin to know, because I have no intentions of walking away from you, Izabella.” He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek, and she felt the electricity from that small touch spear every single inch of her.

  “You want me, for more than what we shared, what we’ve had these past years?” She couldn’t help the words that had come out of her mouth, but it was too late to take them back. She’d never wanted to be a booty call for anyone, least of all Corbin, but then again she’d never seen them at this place.

  “You want to know what Crestin said to me when she gave me a hug?”

  Izabella licked her lips and nodded, remembering that small, subtle act her friend had done.

  He slid his hand behind her head, tangling his fingers in the strands of her hair, and pulled her closer to him. She rested her hands on his pectoral muscles, feeling the strength, the masculinity pour into her.

  “She told me she wasn’t blind, and that if this was the real deal I better be good to you.”

  Izabella felt her heart stop, felt her entire body tighten. Crestin knew? She’d been able to see the chemistry, the tension and awkwardness that had been between her and Corbin?

  “So, she knows something is going on between us, baby.”

  Hearing him say the endearment had all kinds of things happening to her. She tingled, her body heated, and she had a hard time telling herself not to let Corbin fuck her instead of talking. She wanted to say screw everything else and jump into his arms, but she held back.

  “Do you think this shouldn’t have happened, Izabella?” he asked her in his deep, scratchy voice. He still had a hold of her hair, his fingers lightly massaging the back of her scalp and causing goosebumps to form along her arms.

  “I wanted it to happen, Corbin.”

  He groaned and leaned in to claim her mouth. She managed to push him away, not sure why she had done that, but realizing it had been a mistake. They were only a few inches apart, but as they looked into each other’s eyes, breathing heavily, she felt the electricity bounce between them, and she knew her need for him was stronger than any desire to talk this out. Maybe she was weak, but right now she didn’t care.

  Curling her fingers harder against his chest, she tugged on his shirt, pulling him that inch closer again. She was the one to take control of the kiss, but that only lasted for a second before the alpha in Corbin rose and started mouth-fucking her, sliding his tongue along hers, and groaning like some wild animal.

  He turned them and pressed her up against his truck, the hard, cold metal unforgiving, but still making her arousal burn brighter, soar higher.

  “I want you so much, Izabella. I don’t care that this is crossing some invisible fucking line.”

  He wanted her, and this wasn’t some one-night stand they’d shared. She knew this was more, felt it deep in her heart.

  “I want you, too, Corbin. I don’t want to hide this.”

  He groaned and kissed her harder. “We have to talk about this, but right now I need you.”

  She nodded, whole-heartedly agreeing.

  “Are you wet for me, baby?”

  She moaned at the words he spoke. “Yes,” she whispered, not about to lie to him.

  “You want me to fuck you, to shove my big dick inside your tight, soaked pussy?”

  She gasped. He pulled away a few inches, and she glanced around. They were out in the middle of the driveway, where anyone could see them. But that fact was exhilarating, exciting, and had her anxious for more with Corbin.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Come on, baby,” Corbin said, moving back from Izabella, but taking her hand and leading her to the passenger side door of his truck. He could have just taken her into his or her house, but fuck, he wanted her now, and doing it out here, albeit in his truck, where anyone passing by could see, turned him on even more.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, sounding confused.

  “Trust me.” He opened the passenger side door, and she climbed in. For a second he looked at her ass, all up in his face as she climbed inside. Because he couldn’t help himself, he reached out and spanked the big, fleshy globe. Her pants weren’t a deterrent, because he knew every part of her intimately, knew exactly what she looked like naked, wet, and coming because of him. She made a sound in the back of her throat, a pleasure-filled one, and he grinned.

  Once she was in the seat he walked around the front of the truck and got in, and turned and looked at her.

  “Corbin?” She said his name softly, but was breathing heavily, her arousal still obviously at the forefront. With the lights on either side of the garage door on, the muted yellow glow coming through the front windshield, he could see her pupils were dilated, could tell she wanted this, as well.

  He reached up and cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb across her bottom lip, wanting to kiss her, to have her luscious mouth on his cock. Her breaths became shallow, quick, and as the seconds passed he grew more inflamed. They stayed silent, just looking at each other. And then he couldn’t stop himself any longer. He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers, knowing he couldn’t be soft and gentle, which was what she deserved. He was a maniac when it came to her, the desire inside of him like some kind of primitive beast.

  The kiss turned into something stronger, more violent in nature. It was hot as hell.

  “You taste so damn good, baby.”

  Izabella tilted her head, and he fucked her mouth harder. Corbin speared his hands in her hair, caressing her scalp as their tongues stroked along each other, as he took control and showed her with his lips and tongue exactly how much he wanted her. Soon he’d have his cock in that sweet pussy of hers, an
d there would be no going back, ever.

  She made little mewling noises, the sound spearing straight to his cock, having the fucker jerk and get even harder.

  “Straddle me, Izabella. Got on top of me so I can fuck you.”

  Hearing her moan had the tip of his dick getting wet with pre-cum.

  She started to shift, and soon she was on top of him, her legs spread, her jean-covered cunt right on his cock. She ground her pussy on his erection while she pressed her breasts into his chest, their kiss never ending.

  “You want this, me?” he asked in between kisses.

  She nodded.

  “Then fucking tell me.”

  “I want you, Corbin. I need you.” She breathed those words against his mouth.

  “Then take my cock out and put it inside of you, Izabella.” He all but groaned the words, his arousal so strong it was strangling him, sucking the very air from his lungs.

  She reached between them at the same time she kissed him, her tongue moving over his lips before sliding inside. He gave her this small moment of control, let her be the one to suck on his tongue, to have the power. But he’d be controlling the situation soon enough, because submitting was not something Corbin did. Ever.

  She unbuttoned his jeans and pulled the zipper down, and no fucking way was he about to stop this, no matter that they were in the cab of his truck. He was a selfish bastard, and Izabella was his in all ways. She’d know that soon enough, and would have to come to accept that, because the alternative was not an option.

  He wanted to bury his cock deep inside of her until she was branded as his, until he filled her with his cum all over again. He wanted to fuck her good and hard, make her raw, sore because of him.

  Once his pants were undone, Izabella pulled his cock out, stroking her hand up and down the length, moaning softly against his mouth. He made these deep, guttural sounds in his throat, the pressure and motion of her pumping hand having him to the point of coming already. He cupped the back of her head, tangled his hands in her hair once more, and pulled on the strands until she gasped, until he knew how much it hurt her.