A Man to Trust

by Cheryl Yeko

  Angela gasped in disappointment when he lifted his mouth away from where she most wanted him, but then a sensation of pure delight filled her when Jake thrust a finger deep inside her.

  “Come for me, Angel,” he whispered huskily.

  Lowering his mouth back down to sweep his tongue across the swollen bud between her legs, a second finger joined the first. Her body stiffened and her passion crested. Her labored gasps sounded harsh and uneven, until she was finally swept away in pulsating waves of pleasure.

  A scream of ecstasy tore from her when Jake sucked the tiny bud into his mouth. No man had ever touched her so intimately.

  He added a third finger inside her, played her body like a master pianist and brought her to an erotic, pulsating crescendo. An intense climax held her in its grip while he lavished her with intimate tenderness.

  As the power of her orgasm slowly subsided, Jake lifted his head to stare down at her as she writhed on the bed, her body pulsing tightly around his fingers as he continued pleasuring her with gentle strokes. He ached with the need to bury himself into her sweet heat. The sight of her overcome with passion from his touch, the sound of his name torn from her lips, made him crazy with lust, even as a smoldering rage burned at the back of his mind for the abuse she’d suffered.

  Licking the heady flavor of her essence from his lips, he withdrew his fingers from her body and stood to strip off his remaining clothes. He retrieved a condom from his wallet and sheathed himself as her dazed eyes cleared. She gave him a soft smile.

  His cock throbbed with the need to be inside her. He’d wanted her from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her. And now, he’d have her. And he intended to keep her screaming with pleasure for the rest of the night. Then he just intended to keep her.

  Shit.

  Jake gave a silent groan as he crawled up her body to settle his heavy erection between her legs. Where had that thought come from? Burying his hands in her hair, he gazed into her soft, sated emerald eyes and surrendered to the knowledge that he wanted exactly that. A surge of possessiveness filled him. He leaned in and took her luscious mouth in a deep, claiming kiss, absorbing her flavor. He cared about her and didn’t plan to let her go.

  “Jake,” she moaned. She moved to accommodate him, bringing her knees up, her fingernails digging into his shoulders.

  He rocked his cock against her softness, gliding along the dampness between her legs. His body struggled with a Herculean effort to go slow. When what he really wanted to do was drive into her, hard and fast.

  “Jake, please.” She clung to him.

  He wanted to shower her with one orgasm after another, make up a little for what that son of a bitch had put her through. But he wasn’t a saint. He had to have her first, take the edge off his hunger.

  Positioning himself at the damp entrance between her thighs, he slid inside her tight depths. He captured her cries of pleasure with his mouth, then filled her completely as she wrapped her legs around him. He stilled, allowing her time to adjust to his possession as he made love to her mouth.

  When she moved restlessly beneath him, he began to stroke with a smooth, even rhythm. A groan tore from his lips at the feel of her silken heat, her body squeezing him a little tighter with each thrust inside her. Her breath came in shallow gasps as she accepted him with a matching intensity.

  “You feel so good,” he said against her lips. His hand skimmed across her body, touching her, pleasuring her, luxuriating in the feel of her soft, velvet skin. Losing the battle for control, he abandoned himself to the pleasures she had to offer. He’d wanted her for too long, he wasn’t going to last.

  “Oh, God, Jake!”

  “Hang on tight, babe,” he murmured.

  Placing his arms on either side of her, he lifted himself up and plunged deep, her cry of pleasure pushing him toward the edge. Withdrawing almost completely, he surged forward again, burying himself to the hilt inside of her. He threw his head back and ground against her softness, his breathing harsh and uneven.

  “Oh, yes . . . yes.” She surged up to meet him. Her body tightened around him as she crested with another orgasm. The sound of her pleasure swept through his body and cupped his balls. Unable to contain his passion any longer, he bucked within her in a frenzied rush for release as she moved under him with an equal passion. When her body gripped him like a vise and his name fell from her lips with a throaty moan, he soared over the edge and white-hot lightning bolts of pleasure poured through him.

  Mine! The word blazed across his mind, as he shuddered and convulsed with his climax.

  Angela cried out as wave after wave of erotic sensations flowed over her, unlike anything she’d ever experienced. When Jake buried himself deep into the very heart of her, she plunged over the crest. Her body erupted with an intense, soul-shattering orgasm, bright lights exploding behind her closed lids. She floated on a cloud of pleasure, until falling gently back to earth and into Jake's tender embrace.

  His lips brushed across her forehead, and he tucked her against his side, running his fingers through her hair.

  She curled into him, more sexually satisfied than she ever thought possible, and looked into his warm hazel eyes filled with male satisfaction. His mouth turned up into a lazy grin.

  She licked her lips and took a quivering breath. “Well,” she said with a sigh. “That was . . . unexpected.”

  Jake chuckled. “Are you complaining?”

  She could only shake her head in response, as he removed the condom and tossed it into the trashcan by the bed.

  The sight of his hard naked body caused her womb to clench, even as a blush began to work its way through her. She glanced at the blankets, scrunched up at the foot of the bed. Could she reach them to cover herself without being too obvious? Her hand lifted subconsciously and covered the spot at her breast.

  Jake gave a soft curse and her gaze flew to his. He watched her with narrowed eyes, his eyebrows drawn into deep furrows. She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and glanced away. Humiliation burned a path through her.

  “Angel.” His voice was gentle. He took the hand that covered her breast into his, pulling it away from her body.

  She stiffened. “What?” Her voice sounded defensive, even to her own ears.

  “You have no need to cover yourself. I love your body. Every delectable inch.” The last three words, a sensual promise.

  He continued to hold her captured hand, brushing a kiss along her knuckles. His other hand moved to cup her breast, caressing the scar with his fingers. Her breath quickened and her nipples tightened. Angela met his gaze, his eyes dark with emotions. She inhaled sharply.

  With a feral smile, he pressed her down onto her back, his body wrapped around her. His hand slid to the burn at her inner thigh, where he continued his gentle strokes.

  “What else did he do, Angel?” His voice was soft, coaxing. But his eyes matched his feral smile.

  She wanted to trust him, wanted to tell him everything. Could she? She turned her head away, contemplating her choices. Then she sighed, knowing he’d eventually discover her secrets. The realization rolled over her like a cleansing wave.

  Her gaze turned back to his. Hunger still burned in his eyes as he continued to watch her. His hand made a slow, intimate exploration of her body. Making her burn.

  “It began on our wedding night.”

  A betraying muscle jerked along his jaw, but his voice remained gentle. “What happened?”

  “Scott and I flew to Vegas for a quickie wedding. I thought it was romantic.”

  Jake reached up to cup her cheek. His thumb caressed the curve of her chin.

  “Scott started drinking on the flight.” Her voice shook.

  Jake’s hand moved to the base of her neck and he pulled her to him, wrapping his other arm around her waist, his embrace offering comfort.

  She sighed. “He continued drinking throughout the day . . . and gambled heavily. It was a side of him I’d never seen before. And I didn’t like it. We we
re scheduled for a late night ceremony at the casino chapel, but I had second thoughts.” She closed her eyes at the ugly memories.

  Jake held her firmly against his chest, cradling her head on his shoulder. He rested his chin on the top of her head and stroked her hair with extreme tenderness. He remained silent, not pressing her to continue. Just holding her.

  Now that she wasn’t looking at him, she was less tense. She closed her eyes and let the memory of the evening return.

  Scott and a handful of partygoers all drained their shots and slammed their glasses onto the bar with whoops of triumph. Angela tensed when Scott turned and pulled her against him for a rough kiss, to loud, unruly shouts of “get a room” and raucous laughter.

  It seemed he’d turned into a different person the minute they’d stepped off the airplane. When he finally released her and turned to order another shot, she bit her bottom lip and wondered if marrying him was the right thing to do. She had really only known him for six months.

  The next few hours only reinforced her doubts as Scott continued to drink, losing thousands of dollars at the card tables. By the time they reached the chapel, she was in a full-blown panic.

  “Scott, maybe we should think about this.”

  He turned to her with a scowl. “What are you saying, doll?”

  Her heart raced. She loved him . . . didn’t she? “I—I just think we might be moving a bit too fast.”

  For an instant his eyes flashed with icy fury, then the anger was gone, replaced with a look of tenderness and hurt. Maybe she’d imagined it?

  He held her tight and kissed her brow. “I’m sorry, I know I’ve been a little wild tonight. It’s just that I’m so happy. I love you and want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you.” He cupped her face in his hands and gave her a gentle kiss.

  Her tension eased, although a hard knot of uncertainty curled in her belly. She ignored it. He loved her and she loved him. She was just having pre-wedding jitters.

  But when the preacher announced them man and wife, Scott turned to her and his eyes held that same cold look she’d seen earlier and her doubts returned.

  “Scott, is everything okay?”

  Without answering, he took her hand and led her to the elevator and back up to their room. The uncertainty uncurled in her belly, its tendrils invading every part of her body as the tension mounted. When the door to their suite closed behind them, Scott went over to the built-in stereo system and put on soft, romantic music.

  Angela gave a shake of her head. She was being silly. Scott was her husband now; he loved her. She was just nervous because she’d never been with a man.

  “I’m just going to freshen up.” She gave him what she hoped was a confident sensual smile, retrieved her nightgown from the closet and headed into the bathroom. After putting on the sheer silk negligee, she brushed her teeth and combed her hair. This was it, her wedding night. Her stomach fluttered.

  When she stepped back into the room, Scott stood by the bed with a drink in his hand. His eyes drifted over her in a hot, carnal appraisal as she walked toward him. Angela hesitated, not seeing any tenderness in his possessive gaze. A ripple of unease slithered up her spine when he downed the drink in one gulp and placed the glass on the bedside table.

  He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck. Tugging her forward, he covered her mouth in a demanding kiss. “You’re mine now, doll,” he whispered into her ear, then shoved her onto the bed.

  A surge of unease rolled over her when she looked into cold, hard eyes. Where was the man she’d fallen in love with? He reached down and yanked her gown over her head, his eyes shining with satisfaction as they roamed over her naked body.

  Angela trembled, and a glimmer of fear shivered down her spine.

  “Wait.” Her voice shook and she scrambled off the bed.

  Scott grabbed her and shoved her back down. His lips curved into a sneer and his eyes filled with lust.

  “What are you doing?” Her voice shook. There was no tenderness or love in his cold stare.

  “Fucking my wife.”

  Not even bothering to undress, he freed his erection and lay over her. He trapped her arms above her head with one hand, shoving her legs apart with the other.

  “Scott, please, don’t. Not like this,” she begged tearfully. She attempted to roll out from under him.

  Ignoring her plea, he held her in place and covered her scream with his mouth as he roughly entered her body, taking her virginity and her innocence forever.

  When she finished speaking, silence filled the room for a long moment. Although Jake continued to stroke her hair with a gentle touch, she felt his muscles tighten into hard knots of tension as she lay cradled in his arms.

  “Bastard.” His voice was little more than a growl.

  The outrage and anger evident in Jake’s voice warmed her and she snuggled closer, the memory of that night becoming a little less painful.

  “Yes,” she said softly. “He was.”

  Jake pushed her gently back onto the bed and kissed her forehead, then her lips. His thumb moved to stroke the burn at her breast again, then moved to the scar on her inner-thigh. His lips soon followed the same path as his thumb. She trembled as a need began to burn again in her belly. As though the pleasure he’d given her had never happened, desire flooded her.

  Jake kissed her, his hands caressing her body with a gentle touch, as though she were a fragile piece of spun glass he was afraid to break. When he touched her like that, with such tender reverence, a feeling of utter contentment filled her, knowing Jake would never hurt her like Scott did.

  He found the cut at her knee from where Scott pushed her through the patio window, kissing it before moving down her leg to her ankle. He ran his fingers gently across a bump left by the same fall through the window, pressing his lips to it before working his way up her other leg. He paused when his hand brushed across the cigarette burn at the back of her knee. He flipped her over onto her belly and kissed his way to the spot and gave it the same sweet attention as her other injuries.

  She gasped, craving his intimate touch as his lips continued their exploration up her body. The feel of his hands cupping her butt caused her to shiver with mounting desire. Moisture flooded the apex of her thighs when his lips moved to join his hands in their sensual ministrations.

  She froze when Jake’s hand feathered across the puckered scar on her back, just below her hip. From where Scott carved his initials, branding her as his on her wedding night.

  “Motherfuck.” The grip on her hips tightened and a deep, angry growl vibrated from him. A tense silence filled the room, stretching on for what seemed like forever, only broken by Jake’s harsh breathing.

  Despair rolled over her. An anguished cry tore from her lips and she buried her face into the crook of her arm.

  “Sshh.” Jake resumed his gentle strokes, kissing the scar just as he’d done the others and then moved up her body with the same healing kisses. Washing away the memory and humiliation with each caress, each kiss, each tender word. Reaching her back, he lifted her thick heavy hair to brush his lips at the base of her neck, igniting a fire within her.

  Her stomach fluttered with feminine delight when Jake suddenly flipped her onto her back as though she were as light as a feather and captured her mouth in a hot, hungry kiss. A deep, sexy sound rumbled from his throat, his thick erection against her leg.

  Oh, yes. Her eyes rolled up into her head and she arched into him, her body going up in flames, silently begging for his touch.

  The way his hands moved over her, his whispered words of need and demanding kisses, awoke something deep inside her, something primal, a part of her that wanted his possession. Him, only him. Jake.

  An emotion she’d thought lost forever swept over her and she gave Jake her trust. As desire overtook her, she reached down and curled her fingers around his rock-hard erection, and began to stroke.

  Jake groaned, pulled her hand away, and rolled on top of her, ente
ring her again in one smooth move. Bringing his hand to her cheek, he lowered his head and took her mouth in another tender kiss.

  “Let me replace all those bad memories, Angel.”

  He then proceeded to do just that as he made sweet, passionate love to her, leaving only memories filled with erotic sensual pleasures and Jake.

  CHAPTER 12

  J.D. tossed the file folder on Rick’s desk. “The intel has to be wrong,” he snapped.

  Rick scowled. “I’m sorry. I understand Jake has feelings for her. But from what we found, it doesn’t look good.”

  “Damn it.” J.D. slapped his hand on the desk. “Dig deeper. I don’t give a shit what the paper trail says. I can’t go to Jake and tell him Angela laundered drug money for her husband. I need verified, undisputable proof.”

  Rick swore, then opened the file and tapped a pointed finger against the pages. “The FBI traced illegal offshore deposits to a Milwaukee bank account in her name. An undercover agent matched the dates of the deposits to major drug transactions out of Chicago. What are we supposed to think? They also found a safety deposit box under the same account stuffed with cash.”

  “Well, just . . . fuck.” J.D. ran his fingers through his unkempt hair. How was he going to break the news to Jake? His mind wandered to Stacey. Shit. Stacey would be devastated. She loved Angela like a sister.

  Rick scowled at him. “You need to pick her up and bring her in for questioning. Hopefully we can clear her.” He paused, his eyes turning icy. He glanced at the file before meeting J.D.’s gaze. “There won’t be any immunity for money laundering. The current DA will never go for it. If she did it, she will be prosecuted.”

  Jake woke to the fragrant bouquet of sex and woman. He smiled and opened his eyes to study the sleeping angel in his arms. They’d made love until the early morning hours and the sheet was in tangled disarray, leaving him completely bare and covering only a delicious portion of her heart-shaped ass. Her silky hair tickled his nose as she nestled her head on his shoulder. Her soft breasts pressed against him, a slender hand splayed across his chest, a shapely silken leg thrown over his. His body tightened, wanting to slide inside her again.