by Mia Carson
“Yeah… yeah, pretty relevant… I’ve never… I’ve never…”
“Had sex?” he filled in without removing his mouth from her body.
“That and never… never had a… uh, never… you know…” she trailed off, and he lifted his face. Her cheeks were bright red with embarrassment.
He studied her eyes, running his hands along her wet skin from her hip to the underside of her breasts and back again. “Are you saying you’ve never had an orgasm before?”
Cringing, she nodded. “Yeah, exactly that.”
What kind of life had this woman led that she never learned to pleasure herself? “So when I came in and you were…”
“First time,” she supplied. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you and well… I was curious.”
Max’s mind reeled, and he realized a shower was no place for a woman to experience her first bout of pleasure in her life. Though his erection throbbed and begged for release, this moment was only for Mia. He would take care of himself later, if need be. He reached to the left and shut the water off. Without a word, he scooped her delicate body up into his arms and carried her from the bathroom to lay her out on his bed.
She opened her mouth, most likely to protest getting things wet, but he cut her words off with a demanding kiss. “They’re not the only things about to get wet,” he promised, and she gasped.
He stepped back and shrugged out of his wet shirt so it was out of the way. She lay on the pillows, her eyes watching him intently, tracing the defined pecs and abs of his torso. Her fingers curled in the sheets, and she clamped her thighs together, rubbing her foot up her calf as he climbed onto the bed beside her.
“You’re going to scream my name soon enough,” he growled, letting his fingers dance down her side to her hip, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You’re going to writhe with pleasure at my touch, and then you’re going to beg for more.”
Her body shivering, Mia barely nodded before he shifted down the length of her, kissing her neck first and the hollow at her shoulder. His hands dipped low down her thighs, massaging her flesh before dragging back up. Her hands were unsteady and rested on his back, but after he raised his lips to hers, her touch grew more intense. She dug her nails into his back, spurring his want even more. Max wanted this to last as long as possible. He dipped his head lower and licked the mounds of her breasts as his hand held her hip then went lower to grip her ass. That perfect ass he wanted cradled in his hips. Her breasts fit perfectly in his hands, and he held them, massaging and squeezing while his mouth circled the mounds to reach her pert nipples. He kissed each in turn, smirking when her breathing came in short bursts. He drew one into his mouth and sucked hard.
“Jesus,” she moaned as her back arched. “Max.”
He continued to suckle and lick, teasing the pink flesh before he kissed the other one, giving them both much-needed attention. Goosebumps broke out over her skin, and Max licked further down her body. When he reached the end of the bed, he took her legs gently and dragged her closer to him. His hands slid up her legs, spreading them slowly and giving her a chance to tell him to stop, but she didn’t. Her beautiful, untouched sheath appeared before his eyes, and the hunger consuming him was too much. With her eyes on his, he lowered his mouth and licked up her inner thigh.
“Max? What are you—oh, God!” she moaned and dug her hands into the sheets.
He dragged his tongue up her swollen, wet lips again and swirled his tongue around her clit. He cupped her ass in his palms as his tongue explored her sex thoroughly before he spread her lips and thrust the muscle within her. She stiffened, and he worried he’d frightened her, but she released a loud breath and quivered, whispering his name.
“Don’t stop,” she begged. “Please, don’t stop.”
Obliging her wishes, he sucked hard on her clit as his fingers slipped around. He thrust one into her wetness, her warmth surrounding it instantly. He stretched her, twisted his finger as he sucked and licked the sweet flesh, then slipped a second finger in. Each time, he thrust as deep as he could, the tightness of her lending to all sorts of fantasies running rampant in his mind. What if this led to more? He could only imagine the pleasure he would receive from being the first man to part her legs with his cock and bury himself to the hilt within her hot sex. Later. That would have to come later. He wanted this moment to be for her and nothing more—not that he wasn’t getting his own enjoyment out of every quiet moan that escaped her mouth, or the way her hands worked at the sheets, and she bit her lip as the pleasure built in her body.
With each thrust, her hips moved, riding his hand hard. His thumb replaced his tongue. “That’s it,” he growled to her. “Let yourself feel, Mia, let yourself go. This is all for you. Take your pleasure from me. Take it.”
Her back arched off the bed and her hips moved faster, but he sensed she still refrained from fully embracing the orgasm growing in her throbbing muscles. He pressed harder against her clit, and she gasped, his fingers moving in a fast rhythm, plundering her depths with a sudden fury.
“Come for me, Mia,” he whispered. “I want to see you fall apart in my arms so I can pick up the pieces and fit you back together again.”
She gripped her breasts and tossed her head to the side, but Max wasn’t going to let her hide from this. Keeping his hand firmly in place, he rose up over her body and shoved her hand aside so he could suckle her breast. Her nails found his back, raking up his bare skin, and finally, her inner muscles clenched hard around his fingers as she screamed, her body thrashing beneath him as her juices poured over his hand. He didn’t let up, not until he’d wrenched every last drop of pleasure from her and she lay shaking against his body.
He kissed her lips sweetly, removing his hand and palming her.
“That… was incredible,” she breathed, her eyes struggling to stay open and find him. She glanced down their bodies at the erection pressing against her hip. “Do you need to? I mean, I don’t know how, or how good it’ll be, but…”
Max shook his head and placed his fingers over her lips. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve had blue balls before.” If only they didn’t have to go to that damn family dinner tonight, he would keep her naked in his bed for more than a few minutes and let her explore what other pleasures they could take from each other. Overwhelming her was another worry, added to the fact that she probably came from an abusive relationship, which made him more cautious about having his way with her. She was a virgin and he was not a small man, by any means.
He hugged her close, her tiny body fitting perfectly against his.
“We should get ready for tonight,” he told her reluctantly.
“Right, dinner,” she said, and he released her from his arms. “I’ll grab my clothes and finish getting ready in my room.” She hopped off the bed, leaned back down, and planted a warm kiss against his scarred cheek. “Thank you. I’m not sure you’ll ever understand what this meant to me.”
He watched her gather her clothes from his bathroom and saunter out of his room, naked. Her tight little ass teased him before it vanished from sight. He flopped back onto the bed with a groan. What was this woman doing to him? The salty, raw taste of her still fresh on his lips drove him mad with want, and he hurried to close his bedroom door to give himself a moment of privacy before shedding the rest of his clothes and stepping under the spray of the shower. He turned the water to cold, but it did little to dampen his raging erection bobbing before him.
Shutting his eyes, he gripped himself hard in his fist and imagined what it would be like, driving into Mia for the first time. How tight she would be, how hot and, after today, oh so wet from wanting him. They had taken sex off the table when they’d made this deal, but he wanted it back on. Biting the inside of his cheek to muffle his grunt of release, he pumped himself dry and sagged against the tiled wall. Not exactly what he needed to relieve himself, but it would do for now. He was not the seducing type, had never cared to be, but a sit-down with Jeremy about how to get Mia into his bed
might not be a bad thing. The man had a fling every other weekend, and his flings actually liked Jeremy.
The women weren’t scared of him, but neither was Mia. She was scared of something, but not him. He reached up and touched his scar, the same scar she’d kissed so lovingly. There was no other explanation for it. He was falling hard for this woman—hard and fast—and if he wasn’t careful, he would lose his heart to her before he knew what happened.
7
On the drive to his parents’ house, Max tried to think of anything besides the woman seated next to him in her tight jeans and bulky sweater. He’d worried earlier in the day how tonight would go and if they would be able to pass as a loving couple. Spending the afternoon giving her the first orgasm she’d ever experienced in her life did wonders for how she acted around him. There were still moments she flinched, but he caught her muttering quietly to herself after each time.
As he parked in the long drive, her hand snaked over and grasped his. “Anything I should know before we go inside?”
He stared at their clasped hands and the simple ring on her finger. “Mom might ask you a ton of questions right off the bat, but I think we went over everything important.” They had spent a few minutes running through the story of how they’d met and what she did for a living along with whose idea it was to elope and why. Carrie Ward was infamous for digging to get to the truth, but Max prayed she would lay off since it was their first time meeting Mia.
“Right, as long as I can remember everything, this’ll go off without a hitch.”
“That’s the spirit, love.” On impulse, he kissed the back of her hand and heard the way her breath caught in her chest. If only his car was big enough to really go at it with her before they went inside. His shower had not cooled his arousal, and every little shift of her body threatened to set it off again. “Shall we?”
She climbed out of the car, and he glared at his groin before following her. “This place is huge. You grew up here?” she asked, tilting her head back to see the mansion.
“Yeah, me and my kid sister. It wasn’t all that special.”
“Better than what I had,” she murmured and slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Your jaw looks ready to crack. What are you thinking about so intently?”
“It’s nothing.”
“No, we can’t be the happy couple if we keep secrets from each other,” she teased. “Come on, tell me what you’re so worried about.”
His feet slowed and he pulled her to a stop. “I’m not worried.”
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked quietly, and he hated the sudden pang of fear in her words. He turned her around and held her shoulders firmly.
“Never,” he assured her. “I’m just thinking of how much I want to relieve you of your clothes and taste you again… to hear you scream.” Her eyes widened with desire, and she held her breath as he leaned in closer and whispered against her ear, “I want to feel your wetness as you surround me and take me into your body. That’s what I want, but we can’t do that in the driveway. I will not make a move until I know you’re ready for what I want to do to you. All night long.” He emphasized the last few words before kissing her neck hotly and straightening.
Mia staggered into him and she stood on her toes, her mouth searching for his, so he met her lips. The second they made contact, it was as if she’d set a five-alarm fire racing across his body. His hands fisted in her sweater, threatening to tear it off her body. Did she even have the slightest inkling of what she did to him? How she drove him closer to the edge of insanity with each quiet moan against his mouth, how her breasts smashed into his chest, begging for attention. She was more starved for affection than he realized, but it did little to dissuade Max from crushing her to his body and kissing her as if she was his lifeline, the very air he needed to breathe.
Her reckless hunger sucked him in even deeper. He needed to be the man who showed her that affection, conquered her while showing her at the same time how she could possess him, body and soul.
“We should go inside,” he whispered against her mouth.
“You’re probably right,” she agreed and sank back to her feet. She looked at the front door and froze like a rabbit seeing the predator stalking it. “Shit, Max, what if your mom asks about children?”
“What about it?”
“Well I can’t… I can’t have them. Do I say that?”
“No, we just say we haven’t discussed that yet and leave it alone. If she pushes, I’ll handle it.”
Her worry was evident in her bottom lip, and through tugging at the hem of her sweater. He captured her hands and kissed each one in turn, ceasing her trembling. “Thanks. I’m not sure most people would put up with me.”
“There’s not a damn thing wrong with you, and if anyone tells you otherwise,” he growled, tucking her hand securely around his elbow, “you send them straight to me.”
“What for?”
“So I can introduce them to my fist,” he leered darkly. Her eyes brightened, and he squared his shoulders, ready to be the man she needed, the man he could be again.
He knocked on the door when they reached it and waited for his parents to answer. Heels clicking across the hardwood reached his ears seconds before the door was yanked open and Carrie squealed in delight.
“My boy is here! Dennis! Max and Mia are here!” Carrie hugged him so hard he swore his ribs would crack. “I was worried you wouldn’t show up.”
“I said we’d be here, so we’re here,” he grumbled as she released him. “Mom, you were gone for six months, not me, remember?”
“Yes, I know, and in that time, what does my son do? He elopes! Just like that!”
Max rolled his eyes and motioned to Mia beside him. “Mom, this is Mia Ward.”
She held out a hand to Carrie, who pushed it aside and hugged her. “Oh, hi,” Mia said through a surprised laugh. “Nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Ward. Max told me all about you. I can’t wait to hear about your trip.”
Carrie set her back on her feet and took her hand. “Then I will be sure to tell you. Max, go snag your dad, he’s in the den.”
“Probably trying to hide from you,” Max muttered, and Carrie whacked his arm. “Ow!”
“Sass, mister,” she snapped, and behind her, Mia’s face broke out in a mocking grin, mouthing the words his mom spoke. He grimaced, but the sensation to laugh filled him. One slipped out, and Carrie and Mia both paused. “Well now, that’s a sound I haven’t heard in a long time.”
He stiffened. “What sound?”
“You laughing. My, my, Mia, you’ll have to tell me your secret. I haven’t heard that sound come out of that mouth in years, not since the accident.”
Max whipped around and stormed away. “I’m going to find Dad.”
“Don’t take too long. Dinner will be ready soon!”
He waved a hand over his shoulder and prowled through the house, passing photographs from when he was a baby with Stephanie all the way up to a few years ago. The den was situated at the far west end of the house and the door was open, Jimmy Dean pouring out from the record player his dad insisted on using over anything else.
“Dad?” he asked as he stepped inside.
“Max! Come in quick and shut the door,” Dennis said, chuckling as he hurried to his son. They shook hands before the older man pulled his son in for a hug. “I have a surprise for you before dinner. Don’t tell your mother.”
He whipped out two cigars and handed one to Max. “I thought you weren’t supposed to smoke these anymore, not since the heart attack.”
“I’ve given up so much since then. I’m not missing out on my cigar.”
“Fine, but if you drop dead tonight, just remember that Mom will come after me next.”
They bit off the ends and Dennis lit them both with a wooden match. “Oh, now that’s the good kind, right there.” He strolled to the window and threw it wide open, letting in the cool evening air. “I hear you’re a happily married man.”
<
br /> Max puffed on his cigar, savoring the strong taste in his mouth before blowing the smoke out the open window. “Yes, I am, so you and Mom can relax. I’ll carry on the family name without a problem.”
Dennis clapped him on the shoulder. “Glad to hear it. What with your sister off God knows where—”
“Stephanie’s not here?”
“You know your mother. That woman can hold a grudge forever.”
“So no one bothered to tell my sister we were having a big family dinner?”
“We’re not even sure where she is,” Dennis argued.
“I do, if you’d bothered to ask. She’s in Alaska, checking out the wildlife.”
Dennis sighed. “Photography. I wish I understood what that girl thought she was doing, running around the globe, living out of a rucksack, snapping pictures of naked people and wild animals. You know she nearly got herself killed a few months ago in—shit, where was she?”
“Australia, and yeah, I heard. A crocodile, but she got one hell of a story to tell and a photo to match it. I saw it in National Geographic.”
Dennis’ face lit up with pride, even if all he did was huff at the news. “Let’s get to dinner before Carrie comes searching for us and finds these. Might be a good idea to save your wife, too.”
“No, I think they deserve one another,” Max said as he put the cigar out.
“Oh, and what did your mother say to tick you off this time?”
“She claims I haven’t laughed since the accident.” Dennis eyed his son and Max met his half smile with a scowl. “I have laughed, she’s just not around to hear it. Ask Jeremy, I laugh all the time.”
“Ha! Who do you think keeps us updated on you and your escapades? Honestly, I’m surprised you managed to settle on just one woman. For a while there, you were bringing home what, two a night? Three?”
“It was a week,” he corrected through gritted teeth.
