by K. M. Liss
My eyes filled with hot stinging tears. I swallowed and gulped them back.
Why had I come out here with him?
Hadn't I told myself I couldn't resist him?
Well this had proven it beyond a doubt.
I was such a stupid idiot.
I couldn't stop the tears brimming and rolling down my cheeks.
Hadn't Mom's mistakes taught me anything at all?
I was as weak as she was.
And that scared me.
Chapter Four
Mickey strode up to me and ignoring my tearful distress, began to rip into me verbally.
“Taking a quick fuck break are ya? I'm gonna have to dock your wages, girl.” He folded his arms and gave me a filthy and very unamused look.
“It wasn't like that. I felt sick,” I lied.
“I guess Lyle had his tongue way too far down your throat, sugar.”
“Oh shut up!” I was too annoyed with myself and with Mickey to be embarrassed at what he'd seen.
“Pretty cute act you've got going.”
“What act?”
“I guess you know the Lyle's own half the town.”
“So?”
“So... like to aim high, do ya? You do spread 'em, for the right kinda cash.”
“Excuse me? No I don't.” I spluttered indignantly.
“You don't fool me with your little routine, and you won't fool him for long either. He'll work it out.”
“What are you talking about? There's nothing to work out.”
“Oh quit the yelping, for fuck's sake, you're hurtin' my ears. Now get your scheming little panties back on the job, it's what I'm paying you for.”
His voice followed me inside and a unpleasant shudder of premonition rolled through me.
I shook it off and distracted myself by working hard and keeping my eyes trained on the customers and the bar.
I had tunnel vision.
Customer. Drink. Glasses. Ice. Till.
I finished cleaning the glasses and served bar until the weekend party began at midnight. Mickey switched up the volume of the music and the girls climbed on the bar to entertain with a hot dance. Thankfully I'd managed to avoid this last weekend.
“And you Tiffany Johnson... I wanna see you work your hot little ass up there too,” Mickey said, his tone leading me to feel that avoidance had come to an end.
“I tend bar, I'm not an exotic dancer.” I tried to wriggle out of it, but the look on his face was hard as stone.
“You do what I say, when I say. And right now I say you dance. Get the fuck up there.”
I scowled at him as I made my way around the bar to a stool and climbed up. All the girls were lined up in their black hotpants, asses to the audience. Half our backsides were on display at the upward angle they had.
I had a quick peek at the girls, they were all doing their thing, shaking it down, trying to outdo each other.
I sniggered to myself. One thing I was real good at was shaking my ass. I was actually a very good dancer, when I was in a club, on the dance floor.
I tried to pretend I was somewhere else, and let rip with my brand of hump, bump and grind. After a minute or two I lost all inhibition and went for it, bending right over and moving my assets like I never had before. The air was full of rousing, loud music, whistling and filthy comments and the girls high pitched squeals. As the dance ended I couldn't avoid him. Joshua stood before me, his eyes smoldering, about to catch fire.
He moved forward, holding up his arm to help me down to the ground.
I took his hand and hopped down to his side, turning to face him. It would have been so easy to fall into his arms and give up the fight. But I wasn't about to.
“You're driving me crazy,” he groaned.
“Go see a doctor.”
“I don't need a goddamn fucking doctor. I want you.” His voice was an angry growl.
As well as exciting me, he scared me so much.
His face was dark, so passionate and serious; his eyes, fathomless depths I wanted to drown in.
One hand slipped around my neck, drawing me much closer.
I swam in his presence; his smell, his touch, his heat.
My eyes closed as his mouth touched mine. It was the sweetest, hottest kiss. The kind of kiss I wanted to last forever. Little stars shone brightly in my head.
Hell, my body's betraying me so badly tonight.
I had to work real hard to stop myself from responding like I really wanted to.
I couldn't believe the strength of attraction I had to Joshua Lyle.
Why did it have to be him for crissakes?
He wasn't Prince Charming.
He wasn't about to carry me off to his castle.
He wouldn't offer me a happy ever after.
He'd throw me away, like a piece of trash.
Why the hell I craved him so much was beyond reason.
I started to sweat with the hunger he'd awakened inside of me. It was something I'd only ever experienced in my wildest dreams. The dreams that I could never speak of, to anyone, ever.
Dreams where I wasn't in control of what I did.
That's what he did to me. He ruined all my self control.
Oh God, I need to escape. And right now.
“Excuse me. I'm at work. And as I said, we are done,” I said coolly.
I pulled away, returning to the bar. Mickey gave me yet another one of his glares.
But far worse than that, was the raging hatred I could see, so clearly written on Christie's face, as I passed her by. A cold chill invaded my heart.
Chapter 5
I slipped my leather jacket over my brief top. Grabbing my purse, I left the bar quickly. I didn't want to hang around for a second longer than I had to. I scooted around the back of the bar, and down the side to avoid both Mickey and Joshua.
I headed toward my bike, at the front of the bar.
A voice startled me.
“Sneaking off home without saying goodnight? That's real bad manners, Tiffany.” Joshua came out of the darkness and moved toward me. I took in the black jacket which completed his persona perfectly. A tiny spot of bright orange light flared as he took a last draw on his cigarette, stubbing it out with his booted foot before he arrived at my side.
“I can sneak wherever I like. And my manners are my affair. Not yours.”
“I think you need a good old spanking. That smart mouth of yours is gonna get you in trouble one day.” His grin was just about as wicked as they come.
“WHAT? Ooooh... fuck off, you arrogant bastard!” I seethed.
“Now there's the problem. I can't.”
If that grin of his hung around much longer I'd have to slap him.
“You can't what?” I snapped.
“I can't fuck off. I'm hooked on your knock backs. I haven't a clue why, but I can't get enough kicks in the balls.”
“Come back tomorrow night, I can keep them coming forever. But right now, I can't be bothered. I'm dog tired and going home.”
I swung my leg up and over, mounting my bike,
“That's a cool little classic, I've always liked the Trident,” he said, running his eyes over my ancient motorcycle, and me.
“It's shite horsepower, compared to yours.” I cast my eye across to his.
“C'mon, babe... let me me see you home safely.”
“I'm fine, thanks. I don't need a bodyguard.”
I removed my pony tail band and shook out my hair. A blatant tease, but whatever. I didn't want to wait around to put my helmet on, so I left it in the box. I turned the key, switched on the engine and lights and kicked up the stand.
“Bye... for now....” he said, his voice carrying above the gentle revving of my engine.
Reversing out, I gave him a last look as I pulled away, crouching low, and speeding off like a bat out of hell in the direction of Preston.
One minute later he appeared, noisily, at my side, like a vision from my dreams.
I glared at him as his eyes tw
inkled at me in the moonlight.
There was no point whatsoever thrashing it home, trying to lose him. He could twist the wick and go ten times faster than me. Probably twenty times faster.
His Harley V-Rod Muscle was mouthwatering. It had the menacing look of a raging bull with a brute power of a hundred thoroughbreds. It would eat my little bird alive.
The journey home seemed to go by in an exchange of challenging, hot looks, steaming back and forth between us. His amused, raised eyebrows, and wicked grin, contrasted with my superior expression as I tried, in vain, to ignore him.
I pulled off my street and rode under the side porch. I took the key from the ignition, and kicked the rest down, dismounting and walking toward him.
I guessed our modest two bedroom home was a world apart from his sprawling ranch at Mill Creek. Sally, who cleaned Riders bar, told me she'd been there once, to help with the extra clean up, after the family had a party. She'd said it was stunning; very impressive. Even the bunk house, where the ranch hands lived, was fitted out like a palace. No expense spared for the Lyles, apparently.
“Okay, I'm home and I'm safe, job done,” I said, in an irritated voice.
He switched the engine off and sat back. “No problem... anytime,” he replied smoothly.
“You'd better be off then, go get some sleep somewhere.”
“I'm on a late turn tomorrow. I'll get plenty of shut eye... or not... that kinda depends...” he grinned.
I laughed at his cool cockiness.
“That's a helluva bike.” My eyes were devouring all the detail and the way his thighs were spread apart over it.
“I've had it a year now, it's a hot ride... smooth and fast... totally responsive.”
“Have you always had a bike... not a car?”
“I did used to have a car, but I discovered bikes are my thing. What about you, is that your first?”
“Yeah, and I've got the bike bug real bad.”
“You ride well. I'm impressed. You took that tight bend like a dream.”
“I could do it blindfold. I've had a lot of practice on that route, I use it most days.”
He folded his arms, and his eyes ran over me.
I felt naked before him.
“What about horses. Can you ride those?”
“I've ridden a lot in the past.”
“Have you now? I like to see a girl ride.”
His innuendo wasn't lost on me. But I pretended not to notice.
“I guess you and the Riders spend a lot of time on horseback?”
“Most of the day. There's a ton of ground to cover and it's the best way to get around the terrain. It's peaceful and it don't scare the livestock.”
“It sounds like a great job.”
“It's more a way of life, than a job. And it's hard work. Real hard at times. But yeah, I absolutely love it.” His genuinely warm expression and smile touched me, but I managed to stay very cool.
“Much as I'm enjoying chatting with you, I'd best go in. It's one in the morning.”
He ignored my hint to leave.
“Real pretty house you have here.”
He cast a glance around the newly whitewashed boards, the graveled front yard and the dozens of pots of flowers Mom loved so much. “The flowers are a nice touch. We don't have much in the way of flowers at the ranch.”
“Mom does her best. She likes to keep things looking pretty.”
I was excited and nervous, having this normal conversation with him. Butterflies flew around in my stomach like crazy. We were at the point of an unspoken truce. My smart mouth refused to be smart. Stupid words came out instead. “Come see our back yard, it's full of flowers.”
“Sure, I'd like that,” he replied, dismounting, and following me down the driveway, past Mom's battered old truck.
“Here we are. A yard full of flowers. Pretty, aren't they?” I turned to him in the moonlight. You couldn't see too many of the flowers, but their heady scent hung in the air. This was Mom's little oasis in the world. The one place she felt at peace and good about herself.
“They're real beautiful,” he said, coming close, standing before me.
My breath caught in my throat as he reached out for my hands and took them in his.
He lifted one hand to his mouth and after brushing his lips over it, he kissed my fingers. The feel of his warm breath, his fingers and lips on my skin, and his beautiful eyes locked on mine, sent me rocketing into a heated fantasy.
I couldn't help the sigh of pleasure which escaped from my lips.
His arm slipped around my waist and he pulled me close.
Oh no... goddammit... oh yes... I argued with myself.
My arms wrapped around his waist, unable to resist the feel of him.
I wanted one more kiss, a little blast of his steam, before he went home.
His face moved toward mine slowly and his head dipped sideways.
“Still thinking of someone else?” He breathed heavily into my ear.
“Absolutely.”
“And still cold as ice?”
“Frozen solid.”
His eyes met mine and he chuckled at me. “You're a fuckin' awful liar, Tiffany.”
Fingertips lightly pressed on my cheek; the touch of his roughly stubbled chin grazed the other.
I closed my eyes, absorbing his masculine scent.
Traces of leather, cologne, cigarette and bike mingled with the essential, irresistible him and sizzled my brain.
He overwhelmed my senses.
A warm sensation rolled through me like a breaking storm.
The warmth and the sound of his breathing... soft kisses brushing my neck and ear... his hard body pressed up against mine... nothing else in the whole damn world, could possibly feel this good. Heated shivers ran up and down my spine. The hair on the back of my neck stood up in pleasurable anticipation.
The erotic meal he was making of my neck, undid me.
My mind flew away somewhere as his wet tongue traced over my heated skin, back and forth, in a spellbinding rhythm.
I was entranced. I wanted him to lick me all over, all night.
“Oh God... what are you doing to me?” I gasped, unable to control my reaction a second longer.
He sank into me, with a kiss so needy. He probed every part of my mouth, smoothing my tongue into submission with his.
His hands were all over me, mine all over him, in a noisy, moaning, grasping frenzy.
Hair, skin, mouths... it became a blur as we explored each other with a wild ferocity.
The heat between us, was beyond description. We were on fire.
At that moment, we both lost it.
Desperation and insanity set in.
We staggered to the porch, tripping up the step and bumping against the old oak table. Our bodies were entwined, a tangle of limbs and tongues, and desperately seeking hands.
I was beyond myself when he laid me down on the table. I wanted him like nothing else mattered.
Every cell in my body thrilled when he pulled my shorts and panties off. I was full of raw, base need and he was going to satisfy it.
He unzipped, lifted my hips and in seconds, he was inside me, taking me hard and fast.
“Josh! ...OMIGOD!...” My eyes rolled back in my head as his sizable cock filled me to the point of pain. The kind of aching pain I wanted a whole lot more of. I arched up to him, wriggling my hips and getting him in as deep as I could.
He leaned over me, his hands either side of my head, looking into my eyes. I drowned in them, disappearing into their sparkling depths.
“Oh hell... you're so goddam beautiful...” He thrust into me, stroking my sex with a deliberate, hard precision, his body grinding against mine. I clamped my legs around him, moaning like a madwoman, hardly able to take a breath before he pounded it out of me again. He upped pace and pumped into me, giving me everything he was made of.
It was hard, fast and harsh, and my God, he sent me somewhere.
My hands yanked handfu
ls of hair, pulling his head down. I wanted to eat him, to devour every part of him.
“Tiffany,” he groaned, as he crushed his lips against my mouth, his tongue possessing mine.
“Ohhh... mmm...” I moaned incoherently, responding wildly to his dominating kiss.
My body burned like nothing else, setting my brain on fire.
We bucked together, like a pair of rampant animals.
I'd never felt this way. So deeply aroused that I was unable to think straight. All I could think about was how he was hitting the spot so perfectly with every sublime movement inside my body. The aching pleasure spread throughout my belly and gathered pace like a runaway train. It grew and grew within me, until I reached a peak of nerve tingling sensation. My mind was blown as I toppled over the edge into a world of bliss.
Sensation flowed, everywhere, as I entered a whole new realm of existence.
“Oh god, oh god, oh god...” I moaned, as I orgasmed around his hardness with a muscular strength which shocked the hell out of me. It was so tight and deeply felt and so goddamn fucking wonderful I thought I'd explode with pleasure.
Ecstasy....... Ecstasy....... Ecstasy.
The word floated in my head as he rode my pulsations.
I'd never come like this before, and I was stunned at how amazing it was. I opened my eyes and found his were closed, his lips parted, his breathing ragged and loud.
“Holy fuck, babe!”
With a loud groan, he spilled his hot load inside me.
I felt his cock pulse and jerk and his heavy body weight collapsed onto mine.
At that very second, I regained my sanity.
Feeling him come, was like a cold hard slap.
I cooled in sudden and horrified realization.
Oh.
God.
No.
How could I?
I'd just let him fuck me on the yard table.
I hardly knew him.
This type of behavior was so not me.
I'd not stopped to think about pregnancy, sexual disease, or how easy I must seem.
And he hadn't stopped to ask me if I was safe, or to tell me he was.
The both of us had been totally irresponsible.
And the shame of it burned my cheeks.
I lay there, pinned beneath him, as hot tears sprung to my eyes.
