She took a few mouthfuls of her soup, as she sifted through his story. There was anger, oh yes, she could sense it, but it was mostly directed at himself. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t be. It was my fault. Guess the life didn’t suit me. Too much stress. I’m happy to paddle along now and do what is necessary to get through the day.” There was more to this story than he was telling, but she didn’t want to pry, especially given the fact that she didn’t want to stick around. Sure, he was a nice guy, but she wasn’t looking for anything permanent. “What about you? What’s your story?”
Oh! She wouldn’t ever tell him the whole of it. She couldn’t. “I got through high school, never went to college. This was the only job that I’d done since I was fifteen, and I’m pretty damn good at it.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen you in action. If you stick around, you would easily be promoted, become manager soon,” he said, causing her to shrug. It was his turn to cock his head. “But you don’t intend to stick around, do you? I wonder why that is.”
“None of your business.” Riley raised a hand. “Sorry. You’ve been nice to me. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Never mind. You’ve got walls around you that are a mile high, Riley. Any fool can see that you’re hiding from something. What is it? Law?”
“I didn’t kill anyone.”
“So? Theft? Breaking and entering? Come on…you can tell me. I’ve got a good lawyer. Trust me…he got me off after I broke a guy’s legs. I could’ve gone to jail, but he sprang me free. Whatever it is, he can handle it for you.”
“I didn’t break the law,” she said in a curt voice. Riley didn’t like this intrusion in her personal life. It was a wrong move to allow him to get this close. She shouldn’t have come out with him.
As she pushed back her chair, he raised both hands. “Fine, I’m sorry. I won’t ask any questions. Stay, please. Come on. Please.”
She didn’t want to be very difficult, and damn it, she liked the guy. Riley sighed, as she resumed eating. “Let’s not make this personal,” she said.
“You must be the only woman in this world who has these rules, you know. Most women can’t wait to spill their guts about their family, themselves, and the wrongs that were done to them.”
“No wrong was done to me, and in any case, you were the one who said that I was unique and that I wasn’t like other women.”
He raised his glass. His eyes gleamed, and she longed to run her hands over the stubble on his cheeks. Her fingers itched to touch him, to feel his skin, but with some effort she resisted the primal urges that surged through her body. “Touché. So what’s your favorite color?” he said.
“What?”
“It’s not personal. This is a generic question.”
She rolled her eyes, but he sure had a point. The man had a sense of humor. Score for him again. She wondered what it would be like to make love to him, to have their limbs entwined with each other, and to kiss his full lips. “It’s purple.”
“Why?”
“Because I loved Barney as a dinosaur.”
“For me, black is the eternal color. It’s cool, it’s calm, and it’s always in.”
She couldn't believe that they were having this insane conversation, but Riley quite enjoyed it. From colors, they moved on to movies and favorite actors. “Come on, you haven’t seen Fast and Furious, any of them. That’s a crying shame,” he said.
“Men and cars. Ahem!” She enjoyed the clam chowder, as they debated about movies. “It doesn’t do anything for me. Sure, the men are good-looking, but the cars are better looking. So yeah…it doesn’t hold that much appeal to me.”
“Bite your tongue. If the women hear you, they will rip you apart from limb to limb. I know a few women who practically worship those guys.”
She laughed. He was a funny guy, and it was easy to relax with him. “I guess I don’t know a thing. For me, a good movie is one where I can laugh and smile. Cars. Guns. Bombs. Espionage. That’s not what makes me tick.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. For our next date, we could go watch a movie.”
She bit her tongue. This was the right time to tell him that she didn’t want a next time and there wouldn’t be another date, but somehow she couldn’t bring out the words. She liked him far too much, more than she’d planned. He had a way about him. She could tell that he wanted to know more about her, but also at the same time, he was resisting all curiosity just so he wouldn’t piss her off. She appreciated a guy who could take the trouble to know what a girl liked and what she didn’t.
“I don’t know about that.”
Luckily, he didn’t push her. Instead, they began talking about other things. “The best thing about Boston is that you can have a variety of experiences, but it’s not crowded and it’s easily navigable. Have you been to New York? The traffic, the crowds, and the sheer urgency of the people…I was tired just looking at them.”
“Yeah, I lived there for a year.” She also hadn’t liked the city all that much. Sure, those who loved it never moved away, but it just wasn’t for her. She liked a place where she could breathe. Of course, she wouldn’t be able to live here for long, but that was another story. When she moved away, she would miss the city and its people. In Boston, she felt as if she was home. In her years of travel, she’d never experienced a feeling so intense.
“What’s your favorite thing to do in Boston?”
“I like to come to the Harbor,” she said. As her gaze locked with his, her heartbeat accelerated. Sweat lined her palm. His close proximity was playing havoc with her nerves. “Watch the ships, the boats, and the people. It’s nice, relaxing.”
“You know what’s more relaxing than that? Riding a bike through the city. I tell you, you’ve got to try it. Have you ever ridden a bike?”
“As in drive one? No.”
“Maybe I could teach you.”
She didn’t want to make commitments that she couldn’t keep. “Maybe.”
Soon, lunch was over, and they went out after he paid the bill. Although she took out her wallet, he waved her away.
She didn’t mind being pampered once in a while, but this was getting to be too much. He made her nervous. Men who wanted to get into her pants didn’t faze her, but he did. She could tell that he was attracted to her, but he also liked her.
Of course, she felt the same way.
It was strange and weird. This was unchartered territory, and she wanted to take her time as she got accustomed to it.
“Do you have family in Boston?” she asked, as they strolled out.
“I’ve got a brother. He’s a doctor.”
“Wow!”
“Yeah, we don’t talk much. Apparently, I embarrassed the whole family when I got thrown out of the army. He didn’t like it, neither did my hard-ass father. My mother’s the only one who calls me.” He shrugged. “What’s a man going to do? I make the best of my life. It’s not as I thought it would be, but in some ways, it’s better.”
She couldn’t imagine shrugging off an estranged brother and father, but then she’d her own demons and he had his. Perhaps they had both developed their own techniques for dealing with this kind of shit. Since her rules were simple, she didn’t ask any more questions. Ask nothing, tell nothing. It was almost as if he got the thought in her head, because he didn’t ask her about her family. Good. She didn’t have any intention of going down that memory lane.
“Ice cream?” she said. “My treat.”
“Sure, why not?” They walked over to the cart and got a couple of cones. How long had it been since she enjoyed a simple stroll? More often than not, she spent her free days catching up on chores. Her idea of entertainment was to surf the net or else watch TV shows. She didn’t bother making friends because she wasn’t planning to stay around for long. Friends complicated life. She wanted simple things. It was better this way. She was a free agent. Soon, this afternoon would come to an end, and she wouldn't see Chance again. He was a great guy. Some girl migh
t one day be lucky enough to land him, but she wasn’t that person. She didn’t want anything else to do with this man, and that was her final decision.
Chapter Four
She was far more complex than he gave her credit for. Initially, he’d assumed that she was prickly by nature, but as he spent time with her and she relaxed, he could tell that she was fun and easygoing. It was only when he probed deeper into her family life or her personal affairs that she got this unmistakable touch-me-not air about her.
He’d learned his lesson.
Chance didn’t intend to lose her now that he’d gotten her to come out with him. She was special, and—by God—the sparks between them could have set the restaurant on fire. She was attracted to him, and he longed to run his hands over her curvy, delicious body.
As he dropped her off, he looked for an excuse to accompany her upstairs. Maybe if he asked her to have coffee…no, too obvious. Perhaps he should tell her that he wanted to see her place. Too corny. Shit. He was running out of reasons, and just as he thought she would walk away, she surprised him.
“Would you like to come upstairs?”
Would he? Oh, boy, yes. Chance didn’t trust himself to speak. Instead, he nodded and quietly followed her up. She opened the door, and they walked in. Without any preamble, she dropped her purse on the counter next to the vase that contained the flowers he’d brought and turned towards him.
He sucked in a breath, as he gazed down into her clear eyes. Her lips hovered inches below his. If he so wanted, he could claim them within a beat of his heart. Instead, he waited. She’d something on her mind, and he wanted to hear it. “This is just a one night thing. After this, you go your way and I go mine.”
Ok, so he was a little insulted. She clearly didn’t feel that there was something more to this than sexual tension. He sure didn’t like that. “Really?”
Something gleamed in her eyes. Regret? Fear? He couldn’t be sure. “It’s an itch. We scratch it and then it’s over.”
Chance suppressed the anger that coiled in his heart. She might think that this was nothing more than a physical itch, but he genuinely liked her. He could walk away now, but then he didn’t think he would see her again. She would shoot him down because of all the complications that she envisioned in this relationship. It was better to play her way and then nudge her along the path that he chose.
He yanked her hard into his arms. “Let’s play it by the ear.”
His mouth descended on hers, and boy the sparks that flew damn near burned him. Heat. Need and passion burst into dynamic fireworks deep inside his gut. He felt the fast burn of it, the pull and tug of desire, as she swayed in his arms. His lips roamed over hers, as he tasted her to his heart’s content. She smelled delicious, and she tasted even better. His tongue danced with hers, as he explored her mouth, relishing the way she trembled in his arms.
She was as lost as he was.
Neither of them could think beyond this point.
His hands moved her body, and then he lifted her off her feet. Carrying her, he walked inside. Even though he wanted to take this time to savor the delights that she had to offer, he didn’t think he would last that long. The bedroom was too far away for what he had in mind.
Instead, Chance settled her on the couch and sat beside her. Their lips remained fused. His fingers skipped behind her, unzipped the dress, and pulled it off her shoulders. Her skin burned hot under his fingers. When the dress pooled around her waist, he finally raised his head. His hands settled on her heavy, firm breasts. Her nipples were pink and swollen with need. He longed to take them inside his mouth and suck on the sweet buds, but he bent forward to nip at the skin of her throat first. His lips lingered over neck and slowly, he made his way down to her dainty shoulders and then reached the full mound.
Without as much as a whisper of protest, she lay back to give him access. Chance took his time. He circled the mound, kneaded, and caressed it, slowly moving closer and closer to the tip of it. Her breathing quickened and sweat beaded on her forehead. She wanted him to hurry, but she was too proud to say it.
He would force her to do so.
Chance bit her breast, not so hard to ensure pain, but enough to make her flinch. A low moan escaped her lips. He smiled, as his hand fisted in her hair, and he kept her pinned to the couch. Her entire body trembled, as he nibbled around her breast again. The anticipation of the quick pain made her delirious with need, with desire. His fingers slinked over the taut skin of her stomach, the sides of her breasts, and the nape of her neck while his lips hovered inches away from the buds that were as hard as cherries now.
“Please, please,” she begged.
He didn’t want to make her wait any longer. Chance took her nipple inside his mouth and caressed and fondled the nipple until she writhed under him. Gently, he pulled the dress off her so that she was dressed only in a delicate fabric that barely covered her pussy. His fingers skimmed over her panties and found them moist already. He rubbed the mound, liking the way she responded to his touch. Her hips jerked in motion with his hands while her hands splayed over his back. He felt her fingernails rake down his skin and barely felt the scratches that she made.
If he so wanted, he could claim her now. She was ready, as was he. His cock had lengthened and thickened within the confines of his jeans, and it was now pulsating with a need that overwhelmed him. He wanted to pound into her, shake her insides until she quivered under him, and stroke into her soft muscles until she climaxed. But he was still fully dressed—and this wasn’t over yet.
Chance lifted his head off her breast. She glanced at him out of eyes that were smoky with desire. He stood and began to take off his clothes, as she watched. He could see the effort she made to restrain herself. She longed to touch him, but her hands remained fisted by her sides as he undressed. He dropped his shirt and then opened the buttons of his jeans. Her eyes widened, as her gaze traveled down his hard abs to his narrow waist and then down to his cock that stood at attention. He stepped out of his jeans.
He cocked a smile. “Like what you see?”
“Oh yes, I do.” She licked her bottom lip. One thing about this woman, she didn’t have a shy bone in her body. He quite liked it. He didn’t like women who played games and acted timid. A woman had as much needs as a man, and she didn’t need to be reticent in expressing herself.
He lunged at her. She laughed and tried to get out of his way, but he grabbed her before she could move. Turning her around, he pushed the length of his cock hard against her ass while his arms gripped her upper body. He could inhale the scent of her perfume and feel her body trembling against his as she struggled. He cupped her breast while his tongue licked her shoulders. She moaned. He nibbled on the nape of her neck while his fingers kneaded her heavy mounds. He kissed one shoulder and then bared his lips and bit it slightly.
She flinched and squealed. He nibbled his way to the other shoulder and did the same. Moving up to her ears, he kissed and sucked on her ear lobes while she trembled and shook. His hands slid down the length of her body and settled on her hips. He slid off her panties and pushed his hand on her pussy. She was wet and slick with juices. He pushed his finger inside her while his lips toyed with her ear. She writhed and heaved.
He couldn’t take it anymore. With one quick flip, he straightened her body so that her head rested on the arm of the couch. Raising her legs, he held them tight against her stomach while his gaze feasted on her pussy that was moist and ready.
He plunged his cock inside her, loving the way her muscles expanded to accommodate him. He pushed all the way in and then pulled out. She squealed and grunted while he held her legs, forcing her to remain immobile. In and out, he slid each breath of his coming out in a pant.
This was heaven.
This was delicious.
He could feel her trembling on the edge of desire while he careened to join her. The storm that swelled inside him was wild and strong. Chance gave it full vent, as he thrust in and out of her. The orgasm t
hat shook her muscles was long and hot. Rather than give her time to breathe, he picked up speed and then tumbled down after her, spilling his semen inside her.
Rolling off her, he lay down on the rug. Each breath was a struggle, but he remained still. Soon, he felt strong enough to sit up. She was as still as death. Her eyes were closed. He put a hand on her stomach and felt her quiver. Opening her eyes, she looked at him.
“Riley, this isn’t over. It was just the beginning.” He promised. Her eyes told him that she agreed. There was no need to say anything else. He rubbed his hand over her smooth skin and then stood. “May I use your bathroom?”
Twisted Scars (Comanche Sons Motorcycle Club Book 1) Page 3
