Reluctant Desire

by Leah Brooke

  Beau met her gaze again, the look in his eyes holding a promise for later. “I’m sure there’s plenty.”

  Charity smiled, reaching up to kiss his jaw as he lowered her to her feet. “Absolutely.” She turned to Ace. “You have your cell phone with you and you have to eat anyway. It might as well be here. You like my fried chicken.”

  Shaking hands with Beau, Ace took his seat again. “Don’t tell your mother or fathers, but yours is better. It drives your sister crazy.”

  Giggling, Charity turned back to check on her chicken and to get another place setting for Ace. “Good to know.” She could use it against her sister when the opportunity arose.

  Charity enjoyed watching the camaraderie between Ace and Beau as they ate their dinner, ogling Beau every chance she got.

  She couldn’t stop looking at his hands, and couldn’t help thinking about how well they knew their way around her body.

  His shirt pulled taut over his shoulders and biceps as he reached for another piece of chicken, outlining the hard muscle she couldn’t wait to sink her finger into again. His dark eyes narrowed as he turned to her, the heat in them banked, but still visible. “You’re not eating.”

  Charity took another bite of mashed potatoes. “Stop nagging.”

  Beau’s eyes narrowed even more, promising retribution, before he turned back to his meal, and his conversation with Ace, a conversation that had shifted to the man who’d been stealing from Beau.

  Ace frowned. “I don’t see why the hell you won’t press charges.”

  Beau paused with a forkful of mashed potatoes halfway to his mouth. “Because his wife is pregnant, and if I press charges, she won’t have anyone to support her. I’d already given him a second chance. If not for her, he wouldn’t even have had that.”

  Beau and Ace talked about Beau’s business and the new employees, and it struck Charity that Ace knew more about Beau’s business than she did.

  She also realized that Beau had a soft spot for women in distress.

  He worried about his employee’s wife so much that he’d kept him on so he could provide for his wife. He’d worried about Anna and had rushed to take care of her.

  Ever since her accident, he’d been loving and gentle, and hadn’t played like he had before.

  He also felt guilty about the accident.

  Charity’s stomach clenched. She didn’t want Beau because he thought she was weak and needed to be taken care of. She wanted him to see her as strong and capable.

  It appeared she’d have to prove to him that she wasn’t one of the needy women he felt compelled to take care of. She needed him to see her as an equal.

  After a few more minutes, Ace wiped his mouth and pushed back from the table. “I appreciate the meal and the company, but I’ve got to get back—”

  His cell phone rang, interrupting him. Ace was already on his feet when he answered. “Tyler.”

  Beau turned to Charity and touched her arm. “You have a good day, cher?”

  “I missed you.” Charity squeezed his hand. “You look tired.”

  “I’m fine.”

  Ace sighed, rubbing his jaw. “I’m on my way. For God’s sake, don’t let them kill anyone.” Disconnecting, he started for the door. “Bar fight. Thanks again.”

  Beau shot to his feet. “You need help?”

  Ace shrugged on his coat and grabbed his hat, his face set in grim lines. “No, thanks. Hunter and Remington are at it. Again. Christ, those two get riled up at the drop of a hat lately.”

  Standing at the door with Beau’s arm around her shoulders, Charity watched Ace shoot out of the driveway, his tires squealing as he left.

  Beau sighed and pulled Charity back inside. “Come on in out of the cold and finish your dinner.”

  “I’m done.” Charity began collecting her plate and Ace’s, watching Beau as he bit into another piece of chicken. “What’s all that about Hunter and Remington?”

  Beau finished chewing before answering. “They’re getting out of hand. I think the number of marriages in town are depressing them. They want their own woman, but neither one will admit it. They both feel that they’d only end up hurting her and won’t let themselves get involved with anyone except the woman at the club only looking for a good time.”

  Charity dropped to the seat Ace had just recently vacated. “That’s ridiculous. They’d make great husbands.”

  Beau shrugged. “You know how they are. After their father killed their mother, they’re both afraid they’re just like him. They won’t take a chance. They won’t even have sex with another woman unless it’s in the club in full view of everyone. They know someone would rush in to stop them if they hurt her.”

  Shocked, Charity got to her feet. “Neither one of them would ever hurt a woman.”

  Beau nodded. “I know that. You know that. Hell, everyone in town knows that—except for Hunter and Remington. They’re just going to have to figure it out for themselves.”

  “I hope they find someone.” Charity took the dishes to the sink. “I can’t bear to see them spend the rest of their lives alone for something they didn’t do. It’s so sad.”

  “It is.” Beau finished and pushed back his plate. “Come here.”

  Charity went to him, smiling as he turned his chair and patted his lap. Dropping on to it, she threaded her fingers into his hair. “You know, it occurred to me while you were talking to Ace, that he knows more about your business than I do.”

  Bending his head, Beau nibbled at her lips. “We had other things on our minds. Right now, I’m more interested in getting you out of these clothes than I am in talking about my business.”

  He slid his hand inside her sweater, unclasping the front closure of her bra with an expertise and speed that made her gasp. Closing his hand over her breast, he brushed his lips over hers, swallowing her moan. “I want you naked and under me. Now.”

  Charity arched, pressing her breast more firmly against his palm, the friction and warm feel of his hand on her breast sending delicious sizzles of excitement through her.

  Lifting the edges of her sweater, he bared her breasts. Adjusting her to lean back over his arm, he stared down at them, running his finger lightly back and forth over her nipple as he watched her face. “I’ve been thinking about this all day.”

  Beau’s phone rang, shattering the erotically charged atmosphere.

  With a curse, he wrapped his hands around her waist and stood, dropping a kiss on her forehead as he set her on her feet. “I’m sorry, cher.”

  Retrieving his phone from the countertop, he frowned as he looked down at the display. Clenching his jaw, he answered. “Hello?”

  Pulling her sweater back down to cover herself, Charity frowned at his cold tone.

  “No, Anna. I’m not coming over. You and Jeffrey are going to have to work things out for yourself.” With a small smile, Beau snaked an arm around Charity’s waist and pulled her against him. “No, Anna. Yes, Charity and I are really getting married.”

  Smiling at the warmth in his gaze, Charity snuggled closer, relieved that he no longer considered Anna his responsibility.

  Using his shoulder to hold the phone to his ear, he lifted Charity’s sweater again, running his hands over her breasts as he stared into her eyes. “Of course I love her. Good-bye, Anna.”

  He hung up and tossed the phone back to the countertop. “Now, where were we?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Naked and sprawled on Beau’s bed, Charity watched him undress in the waning light, her pussy clenching in anticipation.

  She saw him bend, and heard the drawer of his nightstand open and close. Her entire body flushed with need as the bed dipped and she felt the warmth of his body against hers.

  “Beau.”

  She breathed his name on a sigh as his hand slid over her breast, sucking in a sharp breath when his fingers closed over her nipple.

  “Come here.” He didn’t wait for her to move, picking her up, flipping her to her belly, and positioning
her on all fours with a speed that made her dizzy. With a hand in her hair, he turned her face toward him, the head of his cock pressing against her cheek.

  Opening her mouth, she shivered with delight, and took his cock into it eagerly, the hard, thick length of it forcing her to open her mouth wide to accommodate him.

  Delighted at his aggressiveness, and his obvious hunger, Charity began to suck him, hoping she was doing it right.

  Holding her head, Beau began to move, fucking her mouth with short, shallow strokes. “I’ve been thinking about this all day. Fucking this hot mouth. You don’t want me to baby you. Isn’t that what you said?”

  Charity nodded, her mouth too full to speak as she fought to please him. Her nipples beaded tight and began to tingle, moisture running down her inner thigh, her entire body trembling at Beau’s sexual arrogance.

  The firmness in his touch and his demeanor thrilled her as he drew her deeper into an erotic world of sexuality she’d only begun to explore.

  Fisting his hand in her hair, he held her steady for his slow thrusts, while reaching under her to caress her breast. “You think I don’t consider you all woman when you’re in my bed?”

  Charity gasped, losing her concentration when he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, the pressure sending a jolt of heat from her nipple to her slit.

  Beau had never spoken this way to her before. He’d never touched her with such firm intent.

  She loved it.

  He tightened the hand in her hair, the tension in his voice more prominent with every word. “You know now that I’m serious in the way I feel about you. You were right. I should never have brought toys to the bedroom. I should have just taken you this way before, but I was too afraid of scaring you. I want you too much sometimes to be easy with you.”

  Charity moaned around his cock, rocking her hips as the heat and awareness there became unbearable. She tried to pull her mouth away to answer, but Beau tightened his grip on her hair and thrust again, keeping her mouth too full to speak.

  “No. I think you’ve said enough.” His voice held a silky decadence that sent a thrill of delight through her, one that danced over her skin and heightened the awareness in every erogenous zone. “Everyone knows about us now, Charity. Everyone knows you’re mine. You want me to stop babying you. You won’t be babied tonight, cher. You want to know how much I want you? After tonight, there should be no doubt that I’m not playing games.”

  Beau’s hand left her hair and breast, as he slowly withdrew with a groan. “Damn, that mouth feels good.”

  Charity fisted her hands in the pillows as he moved in behind her, another rush of moisture escaping at the feel of his hard thighs touching the backs of hers.

  His hands closed around her waist as he used his knees to push hers apart. “I’ve been thinking about this all day.”

  She heard the rip of foil, gasping at the feel of his cock brushing against her ass as he rolled on a condom. “So have I. Beau, I don’t mind the toys. I like them.”

  Beau chuckled softly, a low rumbling sound that made her clit tingle. “I was in the warehouse checking out all the new toys and thinking about you.” With one swift thrust, he plunged into her. “But playing that way gave you the wrong idea. We don’t need toys, do we, cher? It feels so good without them.”

  Charity cried out at the pleasure, gripping the headboard to push back against him. “Yes. Oh, Beau, that feels so good.”

  His hands tightened on her waist as he thrust harder. “Yes, it does. There’s nothing like having my cock inside you. Warm. Tight. Gripping me.”

  When he moved his left hand, sliding it back to her hip, Charity’s puckered opening tingled with anticipation, but he only got a firmer grip. Slipping his other hand lower, he parted her folds and delved between them with a firm possessiveness that left her reeling.

  Charity’s hoarse cry filled the room at the first touch of Beau’s fingers against her clit. “Beau, oh, God!”

  His forceful thrusts and the slide of his fingers over her swollen and needy clit sent her soaring. “No. Too soon. Damn it. Ahhh!”

  The rush of pleasure stunned her, but she didn’t seem to have any defenses against him.

  When Beau wanted to send her over, he did, and when he wanted to drag it out, he did, and there didn’t seem to be anything she could do about it.

  Her body hummed with delicious pleasure, her pussy gripping his cock as her orgasm washed over her.

  Beau thrust deep, his hand tightening on her hip as his cock pulsed inside her. “Too good to wait. Next time.” He groaned, slowing his fingers on her clit. “Next time we’ll go slower.”

  Still trembling, Charity struggled to catch her breath, moaning when Beau slowly withdrew. Her pussy clenched as if trying to hold him inside, drawing another low chuckle from Beau.

  “My cock will be back inside you again real soon, cher.” Wrapping a strong forearm around her waist, he lifted her against him and into his arms. “Time for a shower.”

  Once in the shower, Beau pulled her back against him, his hold demanding, and began nuzzling her neck. “I want your ass.”

  Charity shivered, the feel of his cock pressing against lower back reigniting her passion. Struck by the forcefulness in his growled tone, she couldn’t help rubbing against him. “Beau, I don’t know how to.”

  “I’ll show you.” His hands came around to cup her breasts, his fingers teasing her nipples. “I don’t want to hurt you, though. Will you trust me?”

  “Yes.” She didn’t have any choice. She loved and wanted him too badly not to.

  He released her only long enough to fill his hand with bodywash, and began to wash her, starting with her breasts. Teasing her slippery nipples, he scraped his teeth over her neck. “I would have used butt plugs to stretch you, but since we’re not using toys, I’m going to have to use my fingers.”

  Charity moaned, her ass clenching in response. “Hope told me about anal sex. She told me that dominant men demanded it. You’re not like that. Why do you want to take me there?”

  Beau slid a hand upward, holding her by the neck and jaw and pressing her head back against him, while the other hand slid lower to rub her clit. “Because it’s going to feel fantastic. Because I want to take your virginity there the same way I took your virginity in your pussy. Because I want you to realize that all of you belongs to me. Because it’s going to be so hot, so fucking tight.”

  He thrust a finger into her pussy and began to fuck her with it, raising his voice to be heard above her moans. “And because I want to start as I mean to continue. I don’t want you to have any insecurities about how much I want you, how much I need you, how much I love you. I don’t want anything to keep us from exploring our limits.”

  “Oh, God.” She knew his reputation, and had already experienced his erotic brand of lovemaking, but now realized that she’d only begun to scratch the surface layers of Beau’s desires.

  Parting her thighs wider, she clenched on his finger, crying out when he used a thumb to manipulate her clit. “How much more can there be?”

  She wanted to explore all of them.

  The warm water spraying over her made it impossible to open her eyes, keeping her in a dark world that seemed even more erotic.

  Beau’s throaty chuckle sent a shiver of fear up her spine, one of the unknown, and that sent her senses soaring. “There’s a lot more, cher. There’s a lot more that I want to explore with you. No matter what we do, no matter what I do to you, I want you to remember that you’re the most important thing in the world to me. I love you, Charity, more than I ever thought it was possible to love a woman. Everything I do to you is done with love.”

  The combination of his words and his hand at her slit sent her soaring. She came hard, gripping his forearms as her knees weakened. Trembling at the sharp burst of pleasure radiating from her clit and pussy, Charity screamed his name, jolting as he continued to fuck her with his finger. “Beau. Oh, God. Oh, God.”

  He
stroked her through her orgasm, touching his lips to her ear. “So passionate. So hot. So sweet.”

  Stunned at how quickly she’d come, Charity struggled to hold on to his slippery arm, moaning again when the firm hand at her slit slid up to her waist and flattened, plastering her against him.

  “Damn it, Beau. You don’t even give me time to catch my breath.”

  She wanted to give him the kind of pleasure he gave her, but as soon as he touched her, she fell apart in his arms.

  Cupping her breast, he tightened his arm around her waist to steady her. “You don’t need to play, cher. One touch and you go up in flames. Very sexy. Makes me want to keep touching you. Makes me curious to see how many times I can make you come.”

  Instead of tickling her and playing in the shower as he’d done in the past, Beau washed her with slow, deliberate intent, making every inch of her skin tingle with heightened awareness.

  Weak and trembling, she laid her hands on his chest, finding it hard to believe that just by washing her, he’d managed to arouse her again. “You’d kill me.”

  Sucking in a breath, she blinked against the spray. “Now I want to get my hands on you.”

  Beau held out his arms, his slow, wicked smile stealing her breath. “Help yourself, cher.”

  The chance to explore the gorgeous masculinity in front of her excited Charity even more. Nervous, but eager to touch her lover and give him pleasure, Charity smiled playfully and reached for the bottle of bodywash.

  Hoping she didn’t make a fool of herself, she poured some of the soap in her hand and set out to seduce him.

  Avoiding his gaze, she rubbed her hands together to warm the soap the way he’d done with her before flattening them on his wet upper chest. Marveling at the texture, the softness of his skin layered over the hard muscle underneath, Charity blinked against the spray and slid her hands up to his shoulders.

  Using her thumbs to trace his collarbone, she slid her hands lower again, using her fingertips to press into the muscle of his shoulders and upper arms, the soap and the water making it easy to slide her hands over him.