Beauty and the Barracuda

by Winter, Nikki

  “I’m sure,” she whispered.

  “Mmm…” Sansone let go of her locks to run his hands down her sides, his fingertips skimming her flesh ever so lightly. He reached her hips and lifted her upwards. “Then be a good girl for me.”

  Nyssa understood exactly what that meant. Catching the hem of her dress, she pulled it up achingly slowly, watching him watch every movement of her hands. She reached the apex of her thighs and stopped, her breathing shallow. Sansone’s nostrils flared, his eyes lighting with a fire that was nearly feral. She jerked it the rest of the way, uncaring that it cost damn near as much as her rent. The growl that rumbled out of his chest as he gently set her down on the countertop caused her heart to skip. Cool granite kissed her buttocks and the backs of her thighs.

  He ran a fingertip up just between her legs then stopped. “You’re not wearing panties, cara.”

  She bit her lip. “I didn’t want lines showing through the dress.”

  His mouth twitched, that finger inching closer as he took his stare from where he touched her and locked onto her gaze. “Was that it, or did you want everyone watching you to wonder?”

  Swallowing, she tried to focus on her words rather than his hands. “Wonder what?”

  “How easy it would be to bend you over and slip inside what I consider to be mine.”

  God…

  “I wasn’t trying to—”

  Sansone tapped her legs and interrupted. “Spread them.”

  Pussy thoroughly drenched now, she did as he demanded and he took a step back, his hand now fisting what could so clearly be seen through his trousers. The sight brought back the memory of breakfast this morning when he’d fed the length to her inch by inch.

  “Wider,” he rasped.

  Nyssa trembled, her mind thousands of miles away from the issues that had haunted her only minutes ago. When she’d done as he’d said, he came closer, his hand gliding up her thigh and leaving fire in its wake before he grazed the lips of her pussy. His thumb pressed down on her clit and her automatic response was to moan.

  Sansone rubbed the nubbin in achingly slow circles. “We’re going to play the quiet game, baby. Can you keep being my good girl?”

  She nodded without hesitation.

  He pinched the bundle of nerves and her head spun. “Are you sure?”

  Biting down on her lip so hard she almost broke skin, she simply gave him another nod.

  His dark chuckle washed over her, and Nyssa attempted to restore the air that had suddenly left her lungs. With a well-placed hand, he brought her to just the edge of the sink, pulled the hand between her legs back and then spanked her clit. Her eyes slammed shut as fireworks erupted behind her lids and shudders racked her. He pulled his hand back and did it once more. She gripped the edge of the sink for equilibrium.

  “I think you knew exactly what you were doing. You were playing with me, weren’t you, cara?” Sansone whispered. “You wanted to see if I’d give chase.”

  She denied it, knowing exactly what it would earn her.

  Smack.

  Her heart hammered as a dizzying sensation crept up her spine.

  “You knew I’d be watching and waiting for you, didn’t you?”

  “N-no…”

  Smack.

  “You’re not a very good liar, baby.”

  “Not…lying…” Nyssa panted out.

  “You are,” he argued. “But I know when and how to make you tell the truth, don’t I?”

  “Yes…”

  “And when is that?”

  She tucked in her lips.

  “I asked you a question, Nyssa. I fully expect an answer.” Smack. “When…” Smack. “Is…” Smack. “That?” Smack.

  Nyssa almost fell backwards. If he hadn’t caught her, she would’ve. “When I’m coming…”

  “Exactly.”

  She heard his zipper seconds before the head of his cock was at her entrance. It didn’t occur to her that he hadn’t even freed his pants completely until he speared her in one smooth motion, the lips of her now full pussy pressing into the fabric of his trousers.

  Nyssa shivered as he tugged at the top of her gown and said, “Down.”

  She pulled the straps down her arms and allowed them to fall before tugging the cups of her bra with the front of the dress. Her breasts bounced free and he let out a groan that reverberated off the walls of the bathroom. A really nice bathroom. That he was about to fuck her senseless in.

  Sansone licked his lips, withdrew from her and thrust back in so hard the wall mirror shook on impact. Nyssa buried her face between his shoulder and neck, biting down to stem her cries, and he slammed into her repeatedly, her legs wrapping around his waist, her chest pressing to his own, and her nipples rubbing against textured material of his shirt until she thought she’d scream.

  He whispered things to her that caused a blaze to form in her belly. She held on as he punched his hips over and over, his fingers digging into her waist, her teeth digging into his tux.

  Sansone gripped her ass, his digits separating both halves. He ground out as he tapped her rosette with her forefinger, “Someday, I’m going to take you here. And you’re going to love it, won’t you, cara?”

  Nyssa exploded. Her pussy convulsed as that blaze swept downwards and sent her shuddering into an orgasm so intense that for a minute she thought she’d black out.

  He pressed his lips to her throat once more and let out a deep growl as his cock continued to tunnel in and out of her sheath. The drag of his hips didn’t stop until his length swelled and spilled. Sansone wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back in soothing strokes as she sucked in a deep breath.

  The moment her inhales calmed, he kissed her, taking her mouth as intensely as he’d taken her body.

  When they had to part for air, he swept her hair from her face and chuckled. “Oh, baby. I don’t think you’ll be able to fix this.”

  Nyssa blinked, then turned her head to look at the mirror. She immediately burst into laughter. “Jesus Christ…I look like I had a hard night working my corner.”

  His brows rose and she held up a finger. “Do. Not.”

  Sansone’s mouth twisted about. “Don’t you have some type of fancy stuff in that little black thing?” He pointed to her clutch, which she’d dropped the moment he touched her.

  “It’s called a clutch—I can honestly say I’m surprised you don’t know that—and does it look like I can fit anything in there other than a pack of gum and some lost hope?”

  He picked it up and opened it. “Well, I see the lost hope…”

  She hit him in the shoulder, and his head lifted as he laughed.

  Something occurred to her and she momentarily stopped.

  “What?” Sansone asked, wiping away some of her smeared lipstick.

  “We can go home.” Killing two birds with one stone. She could get away from James Woodpecker Woodard, and she could spend the rest of her night with exactly whom she wanted. Yeah. Home. Now.

  He seemed to be searching her eyes. “Home?”

  Nyssa nodded. “Home.”

  Swallowing, he gently extracted himself from her sex and looked down at his trousers. “Er…right about now, I’m thinking that’s the most viable option, cara.”

  She tried not to laugh in his face. She really did. Sadly, Nyssa failed.

  Chapter Seven

  Something had shifted. What exactly that was, Sansone didn’t know. But he had no shame in taking advantage of it. With Nyssa’s hand enveloped in his own and his tuxedo tails untucked and covering the evidence of what had just transpired, they slipped outside through one of the many doors in Noel’s home and trekked around to the front.

  He had two goals—get her home, get her naked. In her brief moment of panic she’d looked for him. She’d turned around and she’d looked for him. That knowledge alone was enough to leave him anticipating the second he’d get her across the threshold of her place. Nyssa squeezed his hand as they rounded the side of the mansion and made a
beeline toward the valet. Sansone had already texted Noel to let him know that he would be sending him a check for his and Nyssa’s plates later this week.

  He shot her a quick grin, and her returning smile sent his pulse into overdrive. Sansone would never have a faster or more potent response to another woman.

  Stopping as they finally reached the valet, he pulled her to his side. “Did you drive?”

  She shook her head, mussed tendrils of hair moving about her bare shoulders. “I had a car service drop me off. I hate trying to drive in more than three-inch heels.”

  Excellent…

  He stepped up to the kid at the kiosk and handed him his ticket stub. “The quicker you get it back the bigger your tip will be.”

  Said kid moved with a purpose.

  Nyssa laid her head on his shoulder and Sansone placed a kiss on the crown of her head. “Did I tell you how amazing you look tonight?”

  She snorted. “You mean before you completely demolished it with your love laser?”

  He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. “You always look amazing. Even while snoring.”

  Pinching his arm, she growled, “I don’t snore.”

  “You do. The first time it happened I had to check you for extra hair in unnecessary places, make sure I wasn’t sleeping with a lycanthrope.”

  Sansone yelped when she twisted one of his nipples.

  “You tell anyone else that and I will rip this off and turn you into a living Ken.”

  He waggled his brows. “How will you be able to attach clothespins to them then?”

  Her lips curved. “I hate you.”

  Following the delicate curve of her jaw with his fingers, he replied, “You want to but you can’t.”

  She blinked and he caught something foreign yet amazing in her hazel irises. “That’s where you’re wrong, Sunny,” Nyssa responded softly. “I want to do a lot of things with you…hate doesn’t even factor in.”

  “Unless you want me to ask you for a live demonstration, I suggest you stop looking at me in that way, cara.”

  “What way?” Her voice told him she knew precisely what she was doing. Oh, this game would be fun.

  Sansone rubbed her nose with his. “Like you want me to ruin you.”

  She bit her lip. “I think you already have.”

  Sansone sucked in a deep breath, ready to take her mouth when the sound of approaching footsteps caused his head to snap upwards.

  “Nyssa?”

  He stiffened and caught sight of Woodard just over her shoulder.

  Her sigh was defeated as she turned to look at the prick. “James?”

  The other man took a few cautious steps forward, clearly forgetting Sansone was right there. When Sansone growled, Woodard stopped, his gaze bouncing between Nyssa and him. “I wanted to talk to you earlier but you disappeared before I could get the chance.” He seemed to be taking in her rumpled appearance as he awkwardly searched for something to say and came out with, “Uh… How are you?”

  Nyssa put a hand to Sansone’s chest, clearly intent on keeping him still. “I’m fine.” Her head tilted slightly. “You wanted to talk to me why?”

  Woodard rocked back on his heels. He then waved a hand at her. “You look…incredible.”

  “James…”

  “It’s been a long time since I last saw you and—”

  “You’re speaking but you aren’t saying nearly enough,” Sansone cut in. “What. Do. You. Want?” He didn’t want him talking to Nyssa. He didn’t even want him in the same space as her, breathing her air. He was tainting something that had just unfolded so beautifully right before Sansone’s eyes, and he could feel it in the way she tensed beneath his touch, saw it in the way her jaw clenched. She was withdrawing, pulling away unknowingly, and it was this asshole’s fault. Sansone had made a mental promise, and it was taking everything within him not to keep it.

  Blue eyes narrowed on him. “What I want is to talk to Nyssa.”

  Sansone gave him a sharp smile. “And as a little boy I wanted to star in my own sitcom.” He mocked. “What happens to a dream deferred?”

  Woodard’s jaw clenched. “Eight years and you’re still playing the guard dog role, Sultana?”

  He stepped forward. “Careful, Woodard. As you can see, I’m off the leash.”

  Nyssa gripped the back of his jacket. “Stop.”

  Sansone did and the dickhead smirked. “Are you really?”

  Pointing at Woodard, Nyssa said, “If I let him go, I’m going to spend my night downtown trying to explain how you got twisted inside out, so cut the shit.”

  His lips flattened into one thin line and he held up his hands. “I’ve been looking for you all night. I thought we could go someplace quiet and I could explain some things.”

  “Oh, this is just unreal…” Sansone muttered.

  “James, I’m not exactly sure what it is you’d like to explain after almost a decade but I am sure that I don’t want to listen to any of it.” She shook her head when Woodard opened his mouth. “Just…go back inside…or home…or wherever you’ve been all this time. I don’t care which one.”

  “Nyssa.” He took another step forward, reaching out.

  Sansone shrugged out of the jacket, leaving it to hang from Nyssa’s fingertips as he got between the two. He was at least a foot taller, his body wider than Woodard’s by a few inches. “If I’m not mistaken that was a distinct no. Turn around. Go back. Save yourself the horror of publicly sobbing.”

  Woodard attempted to stand straighter. “Exactly who are you aside from an annoyance? The last time I checked—which was around five minutes ago—Nyssa was very single.”

  He smirked. “Who am I?” Leaning down, Sansone made direct eye contact. “I’m the man who’s going to shove your feet down your throat if you don’t make yourself invisible and quickly.”

  “Sunny…” Nyssa warned.

  Sansone raised a hand. “No, cara. This figlio di puttana is obviously feeling courageous. Why not show him exactly why he should be anything but?”

  “Because that would mean I’d have to sleep alone tonight,” she answered softly, giving him pause.

  Woodard’s eyes jerked toward her as Sansone spun around.

  Sweetly, she slid her arms through the sleeves of his jacket and wrapped it around herself. “You wouldn’t subject me to that, would you?”

  Ire forgotten now, he stared at her. “No, baby. I wouldn’t.” She’d said it out loud. Nyssa had referred to their relationship, and it wasn’t just to burn the bastard near Sansone. No, if it had been, she would’ve been looking directly at Woodard but her eyes were focused solely on him, silently begging.

  She held out a hand. “Then take me home.”

  “Just please…” Woodard tried again. “I know I should’ve done this a long time ago, and I probably don’t deserve the opportunity to do it now but—”

  “I’m giving you to the count of five to play on your reptile-like abilities and slither quietly away,” Sansone interrupted calmly. “One…four…five…” When he turned around Woodard was already backing away, hatred burning in his glare. No matter how brave he may have felt before, he obviously comprehended what true bottled rage sounded like.

  Nyssa grabbed Sansone’s hand and nodded toward the valet who’d brought his car around. It was definitely time to leave.

  Chapter Eight

  “Well, well, don’t the two of you look mighty rested and happy?”

  Nyssa’s lips twitched at the accusatory tone as she approached Alana’s desk on slightly shaky legs. “I know I look rested and happy but—”

  “Nyssa?”

  She glanced up from reaching for her mail.

  Alana’s brow flicked upwards. “The third button on your blouse is open, and I’m pretty sure what I’m seeing constitutes sexual harassment in the workplace. Because I’m gracious, I won’t sue, I’ll just quietly ask why you have so many bite marks and if you need me to call someone for help?”

  Sh
it! The night before, Sansone had kept her up for hours on end after returning home from Noel’s event, making her come until she was hoarse and very close to placid. Rolling out of bed this morning had been the hardest of struggles. As was getting back to her place and putting herself together for work. What made it so hard? A large, persistent, bilingual bastard!

  She swallowed and finally answered, “You mention this ever again and I put your desk next to sweaty Dave’s. Got it?”

  Her secretary looked thoroughly amused as she cast a quick glance toward Sansone, who was unlocking his office door. “Guess this means I won the pool.”

  Nyssa blinked. “There was a pool?

  “Unh-hunh.”

  “On Sunny and I?”

  “Unh-hunh.”

  “Between who exactly?”

  Holding up a hand, Alana ticked off all the participants. “Mr. Wayne, the interns, the legal department, the mail carrier, the delivery guy who brings lunch, me and—”

  “Stop,” Nyssa interrupted before saying, “You’re all fired.”

  The younger woman began to laugh. “You love us.”

  “I tolerate you. Tolerate.” She pointed at Alana. “Stop laughing. Stop it right now, dammit. I’m putting you out.”

  Alana smirked as she sat back. “You get rid of me and you get rid of the one who knows how to properly intimidate those who irritate you.”

  “You irritate me.”

  “I also make sure your iron fist falls like a war hammer before giving you lists of all the places you can go to get your favorite designer shit for prices that would make a drag queen faint.”

  Goddammit.

  “All right, you get to stay.” Nyssa jerked her head. “But everyone else is fired…because the sight of their faces annoys me.” She picked up her messages.

  “Keep on telling yourself that. Perhaps you’ll start to believe it.”

  Fighting a smile, Nyssa slipped into her office and closed the door, determined not to wander behind Sansone like a lost puppy. Their talks had been few and far between last night. It was almost as if he were trying to fuck away the memory of James. And she’d let him. Nyssa had taken everything he had to give and gave back twice as much. He’d been there when she needed him, like he always was. Her anxiety hadn’t lasted long because, like the shadow he often played, Sansone had been right behind her.