Opening Up

by Lauren Dane

  He rolled the condom on while she watched like a deviant, but it was so hot to see how carefully he pulled the latex around the piercing. Or maybe it was just the way he handled himself in general.

  Either way, she liked to watch.

  “Feet on the floor,” he ordered as he got out of bed.

  Oh. Well, yes.

  He stood behind her, caressing down her back and sides until she relaxed, and then he pushed into her in one long, hard thrust until they both grunted when he got all the way inside.

  “Now then. Fuck me.”

  PJ lazily turned her head enough to see him.

  He gripped her hips and pulled her back so she got what he meant.

  PJ braced her elbows and began to push herself back, fucking herself onto his cock. And then she pulled forward and pushed back again until she got a rhythm going and the pleasure of it made her warm inside, even as heat raced through her and the friction inside her body began to build.

  Asa looked down at her as she got to her tiptoes and thrust herself back at him harder and harder. Her tattoo seemed to glimmer against the sheen of sweat on her skin. Her hair slid over her shoulders and neck like a river of gold. With streams of pink, but that was all right too. More than all right. It was sexy.

  Her freckles stood out on her shoulders so he bent to lick over them. Her sigh was one of pleasure, and he smiled against her flesh at the sound.

  “So beautiful.”

  PJ hummed.

  Asa held off as long as he could. He didn’t want to leave her body, didn’t want to come and have it be over. But his dick didn’t give a shit about what his brain wanted. His dick knew it would come again.

  “You’re even more beautiful when you come.” He reached around to her clit and squeezed it, this time with the intent of making her climax. “Ah, you don’t squeak when you want to come, do you?”

  She made a frustrated little sound in the back of her throat, and he was glad she didn’t see the amused smile he wore. She had a temper—which he found irresistible—and she’d kick his butt if she thought he was making fun.

  Instead though, he reveled in her. In how alive and vibrant she was. How unafraid she seemed of the thing happening between them. Hell, he was scared of it!

  Her inner walls gripped him so tight he saw stars for a moment. “Mmm, your pussy just rippled all around my cock. So close, aren’t you?”

  She gasped and buried her face in the mattress as she groaned with her orgasm. He didn’t have any time to tell her he wanted every sound she made when he was responsible for her pleasure. His own climax hit him so hard he had to lock his knees to keep from sagging to the floor.

  He snarled and leaned down to take a bite just beneath her shoulder blade as he came so hard it felt like his entire life shot from his cock.

  “Get in bed. I’ll be right back.” He got rid of the condom quickly, and when he came back into the bedroom she was looking at his books. He approached her and pulled her close, her back to his front.

  “Now see? You could have been having this multiple times a week, every week,” she murmured.

  He kissed her temple. “I know. But really, it was a terrible punishment not having you in my bed.”

  “I do hope you’ve learned, young man.”

  Grinning, he hugged her tight. “Come on. I’ll grab you a T-shirt and then we can crack open the champagne.”

  CHAPTER

  Twelve

  You’re awfully chipper today.” Duke looked him up and down.

  Asa poured himself another cup of coffee and brought it over to where he’d put his doughnut.

  “I’m not chipper.”

  “It’s a Saturday morning and you’re not glowering, hungover, or totally stoic. I mean, you warm up by one or so, but it’s ten. You’re here at ten on a weekend and you’re grinning at me like an idiot.”

  Asa ate his doughnut before he answered. “It’s just a good day, that’s all.”

  “Is that good day connected at all to the pretty blonde in one of our painting bays?”

  Asa shrugged. “She and I worked things out. We’re good.”

  “Oh, you mean after you dived into her mouth in the middle of a bar last night?”

  Duke had been there the night before, so of course he’d seen the whole thing.

  “She needed kissing.” And she had. Sweet Penelope Jean had needed a whole lot of kissing and caressing and loving up all over, and he’d been happy to deliver it.

  Duke snorted. “You staked a claim.”

  “That too.” He’d stopped fighting his attraction to her. And after the way they’d been not only last night, but that morning before he’d driven them both in to Twisted Steel, he’d been right to finally make a move.

  “Okay then. So this is a thing.”

  Asa paused a moment and then decided that yes, it was a thing of some sort. “It’s a thing.”

  Asa tended to date around and be friends with the women he had sex with. Kissing PJ in the middle of the bar last night the way he had was more than just a Hey, we’re seeing each other move. He’d been saying, Mine. He’d known that the night before. PJ knew it too.

  That was an entirely different type of thing for him. But PJ was an entirely different type of woman, so he supposed that was only fitting.

  “All right then. Good.”

  Asa grabbed a cinnamon roll. “We going out to the track Wednesday?”

  “The way you’re stuffing your face this morning I better eat that last cinnamon roll or you will.” Duke grabbed the last one and put it on a plate. “So, Wednesday. Yes.”

  That upcoming Wednesday was the monthly grudge match out at the track with all their friends. It was mainly a lot of shit talk, great cars, and fast driving, which made it something Asa never wanted to miss.

  “Just got off the phone with Mick a few minutes ago. He’s coming out on Wednesday too, says he’ll meet us there.”

  Mick had been in the army with Asa and Duke. Asa had gotten out first, then Duke. They’d both ended up in Seattle, and that’s where they’d created Twisted Steel. In those early days Mick had lived with Asa and Duke for about eighteen months before he’d given over to moody, restless behavior.

  And then out of the blue Mick reenlisted. Asa couldn’t imagine what demons he could’ve been facing at home to send him back to a place that just might have killed him.

  “He okay?” Duke met Asa’s eyes.

  They all had shadows. Even Asa sometimes didn’t feel fully home. And he caught a darkness in Duke’s eyes from time to time too. But Mick did everything harder than anyone else Asa had ever known, and he knew some pretty hard-core people. It led to self-destructive bullshit sometimes, like returning to a war zone after you’d done your duty and were lucky enough to finally get out.

  “He just got in at eleven last night, he said. His brother picked him up, so Mick’s there until he decides what he wants to do.” Duke shrugged.

  “He just wants to fit in somewhere,” Asa said.

  Asa knew that hunger in ways Duke never could. Duke was the kind of guy everyone liked. He had an easygoing manner that made people talk to him. He was the cool dude people wanted at their table.

  Asa had come up harder. He’d had to scrap for a place in the hierarchy of that shitty four-block area he grew up in. Had to dig himself in and keep anyone from thinking they could prey on him.

  Mick had had his own scrapping to do. Though he came from a large family, they told him they loved him but hated his sin. Which meant they steadfastly judged him for being bisexual and he never felt like he belonged anywhere.

  That’s why Asa wanted Mick in Seattle. Because he and Duke were the family who’d give him a place to land and call home.

  “You’re probably right. God knows most of his family doesn’t seem to want to give him that.”

  They finished up their coffee and headed back down to the shop floor. Asa normally worked six or seven days a week.

  Twisted Steel was his. He’d built
it with his sweat and his brain. He and Duke had made something special, and through that, Asa had found a place he fit. Had finally found a way to be comfortable in his skin.

  “I’m going to finish that door on the Camaro.” Asa headed over in that direction as Duke turned to the left.

  Things were mighty fine in his life indeed.

  PJ capped her lipstick and dropped the tube back into her bag. She pretended she wasn’t nervous and did a terrible job at it.

  “Stop. You’re making me jittery.” Julie patted her hand.

  “My paint is right there, Julie. Right. There. People are looking at it and talking to one another. What if they’re saying what a horrible job I did?”

  “Did you do a horrible job?”

  “Hell no! That’s triple metallic. That is totally badass.”

  “Obviously. Now that we’ve got that cleared up, stop panicking.”

  “This is like the first public thing Asa and I have been at since he sort of claimed me all Officer and a Gentleman–style at the Ditch. I’ve gotten two dirty looks already.”

  “Where is he, by the way? I’m so annoyed that everyone else has met him and I haven’t. For god’s sake, Jay knows your boyfriend and I don’t?”

  “You could have come with me that first night to meet him. And Jay doesn’t know my boyfriend. Jay knows who owns Twisted Steel. Different thing.” PJ scanned the crowd to see if she could find him.

  Just over the last few minutes the number of people who’d showed up had surged as the time for the first heats got closer.

  “I should just look for the women and he’ll be there,” PJ said, tone dry.

  “Really? Is that weird? I don’t know if I’d like that.”

  PJ caught sight of that dark hair and he turned like she’d called his name. He started her way.

  “It is weird. I don’t like it. But we’ve just started seeing each other. I have to deal with it because women seem to be drawn to him like bugs to a porch light. You’ll see. Here he comes.”

  He stalked over to her and she watched every step. He had on a form-fitting T-shirt and his hair was pulled back from his face. He wore sunglasses and dark boots.

  “I said, goddamn,” Julie whispered.

  PJ grinned so hard her cheeks hurt. “I know. He’s even more like that when he’s in bed. All prowly and grrr and stuff. It’s so hot.”

  “How do you even let him out of bed to start with?”

  PJ laughed, leaning in very close to give her sister a one-armed hug and whisper, “His cock is pierced.”

  “You get the fuck out of town!” Julie turned to her, eyes wide.

  “I should have told you before. I thought you might be weirded out, but I misjudged you.”

  “You certainly did if you thought I wouldn’t want to hear all about this later when it’s just the two of us. I’m not sure if I should worry about you or give you a high five.”

  They were still laughing as Asa finally got over to them.

  He kept coming until they were body to body, nose to nose, and he kissed her. Not a full-on carnal mouthfuck like he could also deliver, but a very nice hello all the same.

  “I’ve been looking all over for you.” He turned to Julie and smiled. “You’re clearly related to PJ.” He held out a hand. “Asa Barrons.”

  “We just got here about ten minutes ago. We were looking at my car and then trying to find you. Asa, this is my sister, Julie. Julie, Asa.”

  “It’s good to meet you.”

  Julie smiled up at Asa, already a little besotted, like every other woman seemed to be. “Nice to put a face to the person PJ talks about.”

  Asa relaxed when Julie responded so warmly. Tenderness curled in PJ’s belly at the sweetness of that vulnerability. And because her sister was being so lovely and thought Asa was hot and charming.

  And that was before he gave her the smile. A smile just for PJ. Sexy and sweet and super dirty. He schooled his features back to charming rogue and turned his attention to Julie. “Can I get you two a drink?”

  “I can’t stay, actually.” Julie shrugged. “I have a meeting back at Colman with Fee.”

  “That’s our uncle,” PJ explained to Asa.

  “The one who treated you so badly.” He got all surly when he said it, and PJ wanted to sigh wistfully and twirl her hair around her finger.

  “Yes, that’s the one.” Julie answered him first.

  “Julie is the heart of the financial end of Colman. Our uncle is a figurehead, but it’s really Julie and to some extent our brother Shawn who are the guiding force there. Julie should be in charge, but she has no penis, which is apparently a prerequisite for that job as far as Fee and our father are concerned.”

  Asa choked back a laugh and then said his good-byes to Julie, who gave PJ a discreet thumbs-up before she got into her car to leave.

  Asa took her hand and led her over to the Twisted Steel tent area. “Have a drink. Are you hungry? We’ve got burgers and chips.”

  But before she could answer, he dipped his head and kissed her, and this time there was definitely some mouthfucking going on.

  Heat licked at his belly as he finally gave in and sank into her taste like he’d wanted to since he’d caught sight of her across the field.

  She slid her arms around his neck and held on, giving over, opening up to him. He hummed his pleasure at that and the curves against him.

  When he finally broke away she smiled up at him. “It’s a good thing I wore that kiss-proof lipstick.”

  He laughed. “Still looks juicy.” He stole another kiss before turning her toward the bar area.

  “Listen, Asa.” She put her hand on his forearm to stay him. “Thank you.”

  “For what? Kissing like a rock star?”

  She rolled her eyes before getting serious again. “For the car.” She jerked her chin at the Oldsmobile she’d done the triple metallic job on.

  “It was my pick. Regardless of who I’m with, the work you did is top-notch. It’s good for Twisted Steel too.” Each month the different members of their group brought work to show off, and Asa had chosen the Olds not only because her work was fantastic, but because the kind of high-end custom client they wanted to attract would love it too.

  “Thank you for that.”

  He realized then that she’d been concerned. Her work was so good, it had never occurred to him she’d ever doubt herself. But of course she would, just like he did his own work at times.

  “You’re welcome. Let’s keep making money together.”

  “You got it.”

  Her attention shifted and the intimate bedroom smile she’d had on tightened to something entirely different and totally platonic. He liked that.

  Which was why when he turned to see Craig standing there with a hot redhead he didn’t punch the guy.

  “Hey, Craig. Carmella, how are you?” PJ hugged the redhead and Asa let his mind wander just a bit until his pants got a little tight.

  PJ turned. “Asa, this is Carmella Rossi. She’s Craig’s cousin.”

  He nodded at Craig and then looked at the redhead. “Oh hey! I know you.” Asa turned back to PJ. “She’s Duke’s neighbor.” And back to Carmella. “You have that awesome little dog right? Like a miniature Doberman?”

  Carmella nodded, smiling. “Yes. Also, my uncle is Craig’s dad. I do the books at his shop so I talk to Lottie in your office at least once a month.”

  They made a little small talk for a while longer. Asa’d been hoping Carmella was Craig’s date but clearly not. Asa put his arm around PJ’s shoulders and she turned her head to look at him.

  “First heat starts in ten. I need to head back over to the track. Want to come with me so we can get you a good place to watch?”

  “Yes, please!”

  He kept her to himself for a few minutes more as he took her behind the tents lining the track. It was marginally quieter and far less crowded.

  “We’re right up here.” He pointed. Duke stood with Mick and another one of
the guys from their team.

  Asa didn’t miss the once-over Mick gave PJ. Or the downturn of his mouth when he finished.

  “Hey, PJ.” Duke, grinning, danced her away from Asa, hugging her.

  PJ laughed and turned back to Asa where he was standing with Mick. She gave him one of her prettiest smiles. Warm, totally genuine.

  Mick eyed her carefully.

  “PJ Colman, this is Mick Roberts. Mick, this is PJ.”

  She held a hand out and Mick gave it a halfhearted shake. By that point Asa was pissed.

  He stepped between Mick and PJ, trying to be nonchalant, as he spoke to Duke about the first heat.

  They’d decided the day before that Asa would drive the muscle car heats and Duke would do the stock. Asa was up first in the Fastback, adrenaline already coursing through his system.

  Asa grabbed a pair of noise-dampening headsets for PJ, but she held up her own pair with a smile before she put them on. Sometimes it was easy to forget how steeped she truly was in car culture. He needed to remember that.

  Still, when she wasn’t paying attention, he looked closely to be sure her protective gear was appropriate, given that wreck of a helmet she’d had before.

  He guided her off to a space they’d cleared for a few people to stand and watch away from the action, and she gave him a thumbs-up. He kissed her hard and she gave him two thumbs up.

  Asa tossed a glare Mick’s way as the men headed toward the car.

  “We’ll talk about how you acted later. But for now, you stay the fuck away from her if you have a problem. You got me? Any problem here is between you and me. PJ isn’t part of it. I won’t allow it.”

  Mick shook his head. “Just looking out for you.”

  “Again, let me underline for you that this is an Asa-Mick issue. This has nothing to do with PJ. Am I clear?” He’d beat the shit out of a friend for being a dick any day of the week. They’d hash it out one way or the other, but that had nothing to do with PJ, and Asa wasn’t going to let anyone make her feel uncomfortable.

  Duke slapped the back of Mick’s head. “He understands.”

  Duke liked PJ, so Asa knew his friend would keep an eye on her.