by Wilde, Amity
*** Jared ***
What the hell just happened?
Jared followed Lauren slowly back to her room in a daze. A few minutes of awkward small talk with George had cooled his raging libido down a bit, but even though he tried telling himself that nothing more might happen, every step towards her room had his pants fitting a little more snugly.
That girl had done more to shake up his life in the past 48 hours than anyone since his very first kiss had opened his eyes to the wonders of the fairer sex. For better or worse, she’d forced him to re-evaluate what he wanted in life these days. He wasn’t happy. Complacent? Definitely. Successful? Even though the budget seemed to be a constant source of stress, his military career was luckily still on track, so yes. But on the homefront? No, no even close.
Joining the service at 18 with his buddies had been a no-brainer, but they’d mostly drifted off to civilian life over the years, and at some point he’d driven himself straight into a rut. Those first couple years he’d lived for coming home and relaxing with his family, maybe picking up a girl to pass the time with until he was sent off again. How long had it been since he’d even bothered with that?
Years, that’s how long, and he knew why.
His friends and now even his little brother were all off getting mortgages and having kids. There was something pathetic about competing for chicks with guys who could barely buy their own beer, and then finding out he had nothing in common with them anyway. Not having his own girl to come back to had turned from a blessing into a lonely trap he hadn’t seen a way out of.
Until now.
He hadn’t known Lauren long, but he trusted his gut, and it was telling him that they could be good together. That was why he’d been so adamant about not staying one more night at Grant’s place. With Janie and her baby already there, one evening as the odd man out had been more than enough, thanks very much. He’d had every intention of tracking Lauren down and making his move. He just honestly hadn’t meant for it to happen quite that quickly, or passionately.
But what was he supposed to do when he found her neck deep, or at least shoulder deep, in trouble again?
He grinned. He’d been reading a book in the lobby, when a suspicious thumping and rattling had piqued his curiosity. The noble thing would’ve probably been to help her out and send her on her way, but when those panicked eyes looked up at him, he’d acted on impulse, and that impulse had been to turn her over and paddle her scarlet.
Shit. If she’d said no, or even seemed hesitant, maybe he could’ve kept things cool. But, man, the way she’d looked at him and responded to his every touch had been like throwing gasoline on a wildfire.
As soon as she’d put herself so beautifully at his mercy, he’d been overwhelmed with the need to turn that heart shaped bottom of hers red. He hadn’t held back, and she’d been right there with him the whole time, practically begging for more no matter how much it probably hurt. Lauren had to be sore, and he wanted, no, needed, to take the time to make sure she was okay. Physically and emotionally.
If that meant giving in to his own selfish desire to stay close, so be it. He wouldn’t back down just because it might be devastating to find out she wasn’t interested in anything more. Jared knocked on her door and waited.
She opened it a crack with the latch still on. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He smiled, hoping he looked more friendly than desperate. “I wanted to make sure you were alright. Can I take a look at your arm?” And then take a nice long peek at my marks on your gorgeous ass, he added silently.
Lauren cocked her head suspiciously but unlatched the door, standing aside to let him in. “You really don’t have to do this. It might not seem it, but I am capable of taking care of myself. Using soap and water isn’t beyond me.”
Ah, shit. He hadn’t meant to make her feel bad.
“Hey,” Jared cupped her chin, stroking along her delicate jaw with his thumb. “Yes, I think you’re impulsive and reckless and frustrating, but you’re also sweet, and way, way too sexy for your own good. I’m here because I needed an excuse to make sure you were okay. Are you?”
Her breath hitched and a subtle pink flush crept across her face. “Yeah...”
Giving in to an impulse of his own, he leaned down and kissed her. She made a small happy noise in her throat at the contact. Her lips were soft and warm, no sticky lipstick or flavored gloss, just pure Lauren with a hint of chocolate. A small hand flattened against his chest, the innocent touch causing some much less innocent urges to rise low in his belly.
Jared nuzzled her neck, smelling the sweet floral scent of her shampoo. “Please. Just let me do this. Not because you can’t, but because I want to. Tell me you feel it too. Let me take care of you.”
She sighed. “This is crazy. I don’t know what to do with you, or even how you know my room number,” she whispered honestly. “but come on.”
He laughed, planting a small kiss on the sensitive spot where her neck and shoulder met. “It’s not hard to get when you went to high school with the receptionist.”
Lauren rolled her eyes. “Small town charm is a little creepy.”
Her room was straight out of the ‘90s. TV remote glued to the nightstand and crazy patterns everywhere. With no real competition for miles, remodeling didn’t seem to be a big priority. One double bed took up most of the space. A bed they both avoided looking at, going instead to the bathroom to check out her arm.
Not exactly the most romantic spot in the world, but then again it was a step above the floor in front of the snack machine, and that had turned into quite the adventure.
“I’ll be as quick as I can.” Jared held her wrist securely, not budging when she yanked her arm. “Of course, you didn’t seem to mind a little discomfort earlier.” He winked.
“Please, that’s not the same. Ouch! Careful!” Lauren hissed as he pressed a soapy washcloth to her broken skin.
“No, I suppose you’re right.” It wasn’t the same at all. For starters, the angry, red scrape didn’t make him want to strip her bare and bury himself between her thighs. “That’s going to be sore but doesn’t seem too bad. Now let me check the other end.”
“What?” Lauren squeaked, snatching back her arm, eyes wide. ”There’s absolutely nothing wrong back there!”
“Humor me, kitten.” He lightly smacked her bottom and she winced. “Things got a bit heated and we aren’t very used to each other yet. I need to make sure it wasn’t too much for you. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t take responsibility for my actions?”
“What kind of man does stuff like turn a grown woman over his knee in the first place?” she scoffed. “I don’t know why I keep letting you do that. Besides, you’re assuming we’ll get to know each other better, and that seems unlikely.”
Jared stepped close, not liking that she was already figuring they weren’t going to work, or the way she was questioning her perfectly natural reaction to him. She was independent and a little bratty by nature, probably not used to feeling submissive, even though her easy response to his dominance should have spoken for itself.
They were grown adults, and there was nothing wrong with what they’d done. It wasn’t for everyone, but she needed to know that being with him meant accepting that actions had consequences, and that sometimes it was as much about connecting with each other as it was about rules.
He grabbed the sink, arms blocking her in on both sides. Lauren backed into the counter and looked up. She was startled, but there was no fear in her eyes. In fact, they were smouldering with a barely contained fire, and her chest was rising and falling, drawing attention to the way her nicely rounded breasts pushed out the soft t-shirt she was wearing.
Jared grinned moved in close. “Oh, we will get to know each other better. Even if all you’ll give me is tonight, because you might complain, but you like the kind of man I am. I’m the guy who’ll keep you safe. Who’ll drive you crazy and demand more than you think you can give, but will put the world at your
feet just to make you smile.”
Lauren swallowed hard and licked her lips. “Big talk.”
He was done playing around. Her body felt so small against his, but rounded in all the right places. Every instinct was screaming that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Grabbing a tiny bottle of lotion off the hotel sink, Jared took her hand and pulled her into the bedroom. “Show me.” That sounded harsh, even to his own ears but it hadn’t escaped his notice that she responded much faster to orders than to vague suggestions.
Face flushed and hands trembling, Lauren wiggled her hips and worked his sweatpants down her sexy legs. Just as he expected, there were two big crimson patches where he’d struck the most frequently. The deep flush stood out starkly against her creamy skin, begging him to touch. She made a soft noise of protest when he traced the edges with a finger, but didn’t move to stop him.
Helping her up onto the bed, Jared eased her onto her stomach so he had full access to her tender bottom. Slowly, he slid his fingers under the sides of her panties and tugged them off. The simple cotton caught on the roundness of her tender globes, making them jiggle enticingly.
She was perfect. Every inch soft and womanly. He filled his palms with lotion and rubbed a sensuous trail up her legs. From the delicate arches of her feet, to the strong lines of her calves, over her thighs and finally sliding his palms up to her bare behind.
I’m just making sure she’s alright. Jared rolled his eyes, glad Lauren wasn’t looking at his face. Yeah right.
There wasn’t any serious bruising, he’d known that right away. Sure, she’d be sitting pretty tomorrow, but that was part of the point. He wanted her to remember it. The only real reason he had for putting his hands on her like this was because he wanted to.
The truth was that as soon as she’d opened the door, he’d wanted nothing more than this, to have her under his hands again. The air between them felt thick and charged with sexual energy. He prayed it wasn’t just him. That her heavy breathing and little sinuous movements meant she needed him just as badly.
It certainly sounded like it. She groaned as his fingers smoothed the lotion into her skin, tracing the deep cleavage between her buttocks, and spending more than adequate time on the insides of her sensitive thighs.
Lauren gasped and make a quiet moan that went straight to his cock. Her legs parted slightly, giving him greater access, but he hesitated. Her hips gently pressed into the mattress and she made a raw, needy sound when his hands stopped. Jared wavered on the edge of a cliff, wanting so much but afraid to mess up what could be a good thing by moving too quickly.
“You don’t have to stop.” Lauren whispered, her head turned away.
His erection pulsed, uncomfortable the confines of his jeans. She wasn’t making being responsible easy. “I don’t want to, but... I should get out of here before we do something you’d regret.”
She snorted and shook her head. “So you’re just trying to be noble for my sake?”
“Kitten...” The words froze in his mouth when she sat up and pulled off her shirt. Her breasts swung free, heavy and begging for his mouth to taste. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and touching.
Lauren pressed into his hands. “Stop teasing me and then pulling away and pretending it’s for my own good. I’m a big girl, Jared. I can handle it.” She stretched up, wrapping her arms around his neck and seeking out his lips for a kiss. The hard points of her nipples pressed into his palms as their tongues slid together.
Jared groaned into her mouth and ran his hands down her body, learning every glorious dimple and curve. They worked together to remove his shirt, and he closed his eyes as her moist lips kissed a path across his chest, sucking his dark, flat nipples until they beaded under her insistent tongue. At the same time, her fingers followed the lines of his muscles, learning him just as he was her.
When she reached the top of his pants, he grabbed her wrists to stop her from venturing further. “Wait. I didn’t come here for this. I don’t have anything...”
Lauren shot him a sly grin. “Me neither, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop completely. I trusted you, now it’s your turn, big guy.”
Blood rushed straight to his groin, washing away every last good intention he might have been hanging on to. Every man has a point where temptation overrides rational thought. Jared learned that his was somewhere around having a beautiful naked woman on her knees begging sweetly to get into his pants.
He let go of her hands, and together they made quick work of his belt and pants, stripping him down until there was nothing left between them. She licked her lips and looked up into his eyes before wrapping a hand around his shaft and lowering her mouth to him.
Glorious, wet heat engulfed his crown, her tongue teasing an erotic path around the ridge. Jared groaned and stroked her hair, doing his best to let her explore before he took charge. “You look so sexy doing that. Let me watch you use that sweet little tongue.”
She glanced up, still full of him, and smiled. With deliberate slowness, Lauren licked the length of his cock like it was a popsicle on a hot summer day. She traced every vein and curve until he couldn’t stand it any more and sank his fingers into her silky hair, turning her up to look at him.
“Open for me, kitten,” he asked huskily.
Her lips parted and they both moaned as he fed her the broad head of his erection, pushing forward until she gagged slightly. He pulled back, thrusting slowly as she adjusted, then picking up speed when she seemed to relax and crave more.
In his opinion she was beyond perfect and it wasn’t even a matter of skill. There was just absolutely nothing more beautiful than a woman really enjoying what she was doing, and by the sounds she made and the way she wiggled that blushing red ass, Lauren was definitely enjoying herself.
As much as he wanted to prolong the moment, he’d been on edge too long and there was no way he could hold back with the way she was going. His body tightened as pleasure coiled low in his gut. Sparks raced down his spine and his fingers gripped her hair, pulling her down onto him deeper, harder.
“I’m gonna come, baby. If you don’t want to...”
Lauren shook her head without pausing. If anything, she worked him harder, her tongue teasing the underside of his shaft and her hand reaching between his legs to gently cup and squeeze his balls.
The sight and feel of her was too much, triggering a release that felt like it was ripped straight out of his soul. She swallowed eagerly, not pulling away until the sensations grew too intense and he pushed her away with a laugh, calling uncle.
She sat back on her heels, grinning like the cat who swallowed the canary. “Bet that beats being noble... hey!” A cute little squeak of surprise rushed out as he pushed her back onto the bed.
Jared spread her legs wide and lowered his mouth to her mound. He hungrily licked a path up her sweet, musky sex and flicked his tongue over her clit. “Hush.”
“Sir, yes, Sir!” she gasped out, sliding her fingers into his short hair and pressing up to meet him.
He went to work, making sure to show his kitten exactly how appreciative he was of her efforts. And when she proved particularly bad at following his order to stay quiet, he didn’t mind in the least.
Chapter Seven
*** Lauren ***
“Morning, sleepyhead.”
I woke to the pleasant scratch of stubble and a warm pair of lips pressed against my cheek. Flashes of what we’d done the night before played through my mind, and I feigned sleep for just a minute more to remember every single detail.
Strangely though, there wasn’t any guilt. I’d gone to sleep with a gorgeous man wrapped around me after more orgasms than I could count, and while we might not have had sex, every inch of my body remembered his touch. I already wanted more, but he was dressed and looking like he was getting ready to leave.
That part I didn’t like.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come back to bed?” I licked my lips and w
rapped a hand around the back of his neck, drawing him down so I could tempt him back under the covers.
Jared smiled and stroked my cheek with his thumb. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling. It was hard to believe we’d only known each other a couple days. He felt like he belonged here with me.
“I’ve got a long day ahead of me. Grant called earlier, I need to take a shower and get down to the marina to help out now that the storm has blown over. Can I trust you not to get into trouble while I’m gone?” His face was stern, but his voice was full of humor.
“I’ll do my best, even though I am but a simple impulsive woman.” I pressed the back of my hand against my forehead with a melodramatic sigh.
He laughed and poked me in the stomach. “You forgot sarcastic.”
“Only on days ending in ‘y’,” I teased, as I snuggled under the covers and watched his fine behind make its way into the bathroom. “But I have to warn you, I’m getting an impulse right now!”
“Save it for later!”
I stretched out, feeling pleased with how normal things were between us. How long had it been since someone last shared my bed all night? Too long maybe, but I was pretty sure it had never been like that, easy and comfortable.
By the time he was out of the shower, I’d forced myself to get up and was going through my camera equipment, making sure I had everything I needed for the day.
“Have you always wanted to be a photographer?” he asked.
“Yeah, but I’m not yet. Not really.” I don’t know why I felt the need to tell him that, he didn’t have to hear about all my insecurities quite yet, if ever. “That’s why I’m here.”
“What do you mean? You are or you aren’t, so which is it?”
“I am, but...” I took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. “My Dad, he’s a real photographer. A photographic journalist. I take pictures.”
“There’s a difference?” Jared scrubbed his hair with a towel and looked at me, confused.
“Drugs, disasters, wars, terrorist bombings, you name it, Dad has a story to tell you. Remember how we met and you said you kept the world safe so people like me could do our stupid little things in peace? You weren’t far off. I take pictures of resorts and night clubs. Pretty people in pretty places.” Snapshots Dad called them, and worse, I worked in digital. As if not having a basement full of chemicals made me less of a photographer.
