Force (The Force Duet Book 1)

by M. Malone

  "No. I don't. That's the joy of this little arrangement. I don't have to talk to you at all. Not ever."

  Once the doors to the penthouse opened, she stormed out with him hot on her heels. Matthias came out of the kitchen holding a tub of rocky road. "Hey, Jonas, I was thinking that we could –"

  JJ interrupted his flow of conversation by bumping his shoulder as she stormed by him.

  She mumbled a brief apology but kept right on marching to her bedroom. Matthias brought his attention to Jonas. "What happened?"

  "I have no fucking idea. But I'm sure as hell going to find out."

  Jonas followed her, but he heard Matthias whisper behind them, "Maybe that's not the best idea you've ever had?"

  Jonas ignored him. What the hell did he know?

  What the hell do you know is a better question.

  What he knew was that JJ tasted fucking incredible. That's what he knew. He also knew that something was eating at her. Burrowing deep inside her, and she was gonna blow. What he didn't know was why it was so important to him that she not self-destruct. That whatever was bothering her was better out than in. And he wanted to help her.

  Why, because you're Captain freaking America? No. Because despite their constant fighting, he cared about her. She was smart, funny, and fuck, she was sexy. And he wanted her.

  Yeah, but that want had been eating at him for years now. This wasn't about that. He was worried. Something was wrong. He didn't bother to knock; he just barged into her bedroom.

  "Knock much?" She whirled on him, her movements quick and angry as she rolled her shoulders.

  "Well, I knew you wouldn't say come in, and something is clearly up with you." He closed the door and locked it.

  Her gaze widened and pinned to the lock. What the hell?

  That wasn't the anger he was used to seeing, that was cold fear. Jonas frowned and unlocked the door, and then stepped away from it about three feet, giving her clear access if she wanted to get out. "See, I'm not trying to keep you in here. I just want to talk to you. Something is going on. You haven’t been acting like yourself for weeks. And now you're mad at me because I wasn't an asshole?"

  “Yes you were."

  Jonas crossed arms. "Explain to me how I was an asshole. A woman who most of the time is screaming at me, or calling me names, or trying to throw things at me, suddenly decides that she wants to jump my bones. Wraps herself around me, tasting like sugar and sin and everything I could want. But she's not acting like herself. So, instead of backing her up against the wall and sinking inside her so deep that neither one of us can remember our names, I back off because I want to know what's wrong with her. Oh, and I also want her to want me for me. Not because she's pissed off or upset, or scared. And somehow that makes me an asshole?"

  JJ blinked at him. "Wow, that's the most words I've heard you use in a row ever."

  "I talk plenty."

  "Not to me you don't."

  "Yeah well. You don't talk to me much either. You shout."

  "That's because you needle me."

  Jonah shook his head. "I'm not here to fight." He held up his hands. "What I am here to do is try and find out what's going on. Because you haven't been acting like yourself and I am fucking worried. So out with it."

  When her eyes welled with tears, Jonas's blood froze in his veins. Fuck. He hated tears. "I want you to be okay. Yeah, we needle each other. But I do care about what happens to you. And you're sexy. But then again, you know that already. But more than I want you, more than I want sex, I want you to be okay. And you're clearly not.”

  She swiped a tear with the back of her hand. "You really are a good guy, aren't you?"

  Her voice was soft; there was no edge to it. No edge to her. Her shoulders slumped forward and he saw that she was defeated. What the hell did she mean by that?

  "I am. Mostly. Sometimes. Fuck, not always. But if you need help, or are in trouble, or something is wrong, then I'm your guy." He just prayed to God she told him. Because he didn't have the strength to turn her down again if she wound her body around his.

  JJ wasn't even sure what made her start talking to him. Maybe it was something in his eyes. Maybe it was the gentleness of his tone. But either way, all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and get a really good hug. Jonas moved forward slowly then took her hand. "Gotta talk to someone sometime, JJ. How about me?”

  She nodded and then eased down onto her bed and waited for Jonas to sit next to her. This was not exactly the kind of action she’d planned with him. Did you really plan that at all? Or were you operating on fear?

  Okay, she wasn’t going to examine that right now. She was too raw. There was too much going on inside. "I've had really bad luck with guys. The worst kind."

  "I wouldn't say you have bad luck. You maybe just haven't found the right one."

  She shook her head. "When I say bad luck, I don't mean that a guy insisted that I pay for everything, even though I have had one of those, or that he lived with his parents, although I’ve had one of those too. I’ve had the kind of people that shouldn't be with anyone, the kind of guys that make me feel bad about myself. Those kind of guys—“

  His voice was low and hushed when he spoke. There was also a hint of an edge to it. As if he was starting to see what she was talking about. "You deserve so much more."

  She nodded. "I'm sorry. I’m blabbering on. It's just this project at work is making me feel like I'm back in that place again. Where I've been hurt by someone so deeply but have no one to talk to."

  He was silent for a long moment then asked softly, "What about Lucia?"

  She sniffed away the tears. “Lucia is the best friend a girl could ever ask for. But when her brother died, she was broken. Really, really broken for a really long time. It was that kind of visceral pain and loss. Even now, knowing that everything worked out for her, I can still see the look of pain in her eyes at the funeral. I can still feel her grief. And I wasn't going to burden her with my shit. None of that would be fair. So while she was hurting in her own way, I was hurting in another. I never told her because, you know Lucia. She would feel guilty. And there was nothing for her to feel guilty about. She'd lost her brother. She was entitled to crumble."

  "I don't know. I know that if you sat down and talked to her now she’d probably understand why you didn't tell her, and wish that she could have been there for you. Maybe it would help to talk to her now?"

  JJ shook her head. "No. Her life is finally the way that it should be. Rafe is back. She has Noah and that beautiful baby.” Last year had been one hell of a roller coaster ride. Even if she’d been inclined to share all her deep dark and scaries with her bestie, they’d all had a few things to deal with.

  Things like someone trying to kill Lucia. Lucia discovering her brother had been alive all that time. Somehow JJ’s past problems hadn’t made the top of the list.

  "She's your friend. She would want to help."

  "I'm not bringing her into any of this." Lucia didn’t deserve that.

  “You’re still not going to tell me what’s going on?” Jonas asked.

  She shook her head. “Enough. It’s just been a long day. I freaked out over … It’s okay. I think I just need someone to distract me right now. Do you think you can do that?”

  chapter 10

  Shit, he wanted her. Jonas had never felt more pressure to make a kiss perfect. But this was JJ and she needed him. It was about so much more than desire.

  Looking down at her face, he took in the details that had teased him for so long. The blond hair that always seemed tousled and messy. The blue eyes that should have looked innocent but always had a twinkle of mischief. The peaches-and-cream skin that taunted him to take a bite. She was so beautiful.

  “What are you waiting for?” JJ teased. “Do it already.”

  He groaned. His dick responded to the words do it as if she’d been speaking straight to him directly.

  “Always busting my balls, aren’t you?”

  She grin
ned. “That’s what I live for.”

  “Maybe I need to give that smart mouth something else to do.”

  Before she could respond to that, Jonas pulled her up slightly so he could fit his lips over hers. It was so perfect, the way they notched together like puzzle pieces. It was a little scary how well they fit, like they’d been made for each other but were just getting around to discovering that. It probably wasn’t the smartest thing, starting something with JJ while she was obviously confused and a little scared about what was happening. She needed to feel safe and secure, and Jonas would never want to pressure her into anything. The mature thing to do would be to end this, whatever it was, then ask her out for a drink after it was resolved.

  He pulled back and looked down at the wide blue eyes watching him like he was a savior and a sinner all in one. She made a little whimper in the back of her throat, a hoarse, needy sound that instantly threw Jonas from foreplay into full-scale need. What was it about this woman that made him lose all control? Around JJ he was nothing but instinct and sensation, his years of experience and finesse going right out the window.

  “You really have me all twisted up, you know?”

  The statement wasn’t exactly a compliment, but JJ beamed. He should have known his little troublemaker would love the idea of throwing him off his game. Not that it mattered. Whatever she wanted he was happy to give. Just the thought of JJ needing something and not coming to him for it gave him a deep sense of dissatisfaction. It would have sounded ridiculous just a few months ago, but he was starting to understand exactly why Noah looked happier than ever but also way more stressed. Worrying about someone else constantly took its toll.

  Despite how badly he wanted to strip her naked and do all the things he’d dreamed of doing to that luscious body, Jonas felt obligated to at least try to be the voice of reason.

  “Are you sure about this, baby? We don’t have to do anything. I can just hold you if you want.”

  JJ scowled. “Jesus, what does a girl have to do to get a little satisfaction?” She squealed when he suddenly leaped on her, burying his face in her neck.

  “That’s it. Now you’re in for it,” he growled against her skin, noting how she shivered as the words brushed over her skin.

  Experimentally, he trailed the tip of his tongue up the soft skin of her neck until he reached her ear. She sighed when he took the lobe between his teeth gently.

  “That feels so good,” she purred. Her hands moved over his shoulders gently, clutching at them when his tongue dipped into the shell of her ear. “I’ve dreamed about this so many times.”

  Surprised, Jonas lifted his head. “You dreamed about me?”

  She bit her lip, looking slightly bashful. “I used to fight with you and then sneak in here and imagine that you followed me. That you wanted me the same way I wanted you. Like it was so intense you could barely breathe.”

  His eyes gleamed. “That’s exactly how I want you, JJ. You make me lose my head completely. With you, I feel like I have no control.”

  One of her hands lifted, tentatively to his face. “So let go then. Just do whatever you feel.”

  Jonas groaned. That kind of freedom was dangerous. There were so many things he wanted to do and feel with her that he didn’t know where to start. Then her fingers brushed over his lips and instinctively he opened, nipping at her fingers gently. Her sudden intake of breath sent a stab of desire bolting down his spine. It was suddenly, desperately urgent that he taste her again. Everywhere.

  He leaned down and covered her mouth with his. JJ was right there with him, a willing participant, sucking and licking and biting. God, those sounds she made and the way her fingers clenched in his hair. He couldn’t get enough of her.

  Hands tugged at her clothing and then his own, frantic to get skin to skin. The next few moments were a blur as they tussled to get free without breaking the kiss. Jonas didn’t want to separate from her for even a minute. Maybe a part of him was afraid that if he let this moment go, it would disappear.

  JJ didn’t seem to have any hesitation about undressing, either. The sight of the lacy white panties she wore only cranked his desire higher. Not wasting any time, Jonas yanked her closer and buried his face between her legs. Her soft cries egged him on as he tasted her. He didn’t even bother to take the panties off, just pulled them to the side. Something about not waiting made it even hotter.

  JJ purred and cried with every lash of his tongue. Jonas felt like a man possessed as he licked and sucked until she screamed her release. Panting, JJ didn’t even get a chance to catch her breath before he was on her, nuzzling between her soft breasts. Her arms wrapped around him languidly with a satisfied laziness that made him very happy.

  “Damn,” she said finally. That one word carried a world of meaning.

  “Yeah. The best you’ve ever had, huh?” As he’d hoped, the cocky words made her smile.

  “Actually it was. You’re amazing.”

  It was so unexpected to hear her compliment him when he’d been expecting the usual snarky reply. Pleasure curled through Jonas and made him feel like he was lit from within.

  “It is for me, too. Everything with you is amazing. I hope you know that, Jessica Jones.”

  The sudden flush on her cheeks told him that he’d pleased her, and the thought made him happy, too. What the hell was happening to him? He’d never cared this much about a woman’s approval before. Before he had time to examine it too closely, JJ arched her back, pressing her body against his, wiping all rational thought from his brain.

  Then she reached into his boxers and wrapped delicate fingers around his hard cock. Jonas bit the inside of his cheek to keep from blowing his load like a teenager.

  “It seems I’m the only one who’s had my fun,” JJ teased. “You’ve been keeping this from me.”

  “Not anymore,” Jonas groaned. He reached for his wallet for a condom and had it on in record time. Under different circumstances he’d have spent more time getting her ready, but if JJ felt what he did, any more ready would cause a heart attack.

  He settled between her legs and they both cried out at the pressure. Jonas rocked against her, sliding through her slick heat. JJ whimpered and her nails dug into his back.

  “You ready, baby?” He swiveled his hips again.

  “Hurry up or I’ll kill you!”

  He chuckled, but the laugh died in his throat when she canted her hips forward and he slipped inside. Jonas wasn’t ready for the intense pressure and sense of rightness being enveloped in her heat. Then JJ wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down for another kiss, and the sense of rightness just magnified. This was where he was meant to be and who he was meant to be with.

  “Oh my God, so good,” JJ cried, her eyes on his, wide and trusting.

  Her pussy clamped down, and they groaned together. For a moment, he was suspended in time, and Jonas wondered if he’d actually died and gone to heaven. If this was how he went, clutched in the tightest, hottest pussy he’d ever encountered, he figured it was a risk worth taking.

  “Fuck, you’re so tight.”

  JJ mewled and wrapped her long legs around his waist, holding him against her. It was like being enclosed in heat, the action spurring him to take her harder. Soon he was lost in the sound of her cries and the firm grasp of her muscles squeezing his cock as she came continuously.

  JJ was in trouble. So much trouble.

  After what felt like having ten orgasms in a row, she could barely catch her breath. But Jonas was still hard. The man had just fucked her to within an inch of losing consciousness and he wasn’t done yet.

  So much fucking trouble.

  He swiveled his hips, as if to remind her that he was still there. Like she could forget. JJ snorted softly at her own joke.

  “Am I amusing you, Miss Jones?” There was an erotic threat in the soft timbre of his voice that made her shiver.

  She peeked up at him through lowered lashes. JJ was used to being snarky and argumentativ
e with Jonas. It was Jonas after all, her favorite target when she was feeling bitchy. But now she would never be able to look at him the same way again. The man was a marathoner in the bedroom and hung like a stallion. How the hell could she argue with him knowing what he was packing beneath his clothes now?

  “I wasn’t laughing at you. Definitely not,” JJ finally muttered.

  His eyes heated and he thrust again, making her gasp softly. “Good, because I’m not done with you yet. You ready for more?”

  She was going to be sore, but she didn’t care. “Yes, please.”

  It was his turn to chuckle, but he didn’t make her wait. He pulled her down by hooking his arms under her knees. Once she was in a better position, he brushed his thumb over her clit. JJ’s mouth fell open as she tried to gain control of her breathing. She’d just come and was already on the edge again.

  “Look at me,” Jonas rasped. His deep voice would forever be a part of her erotic dreams.

  When she finally met his eyes, he let loose a deep growl that instantly made her wetter. Suddenly it was all too much. This was Jonas, her friend and sometimes enemy, and she was right on the brink of losing herself in him. Trusting a man with everything hadn’t worked out so well in the past.

  As if he could sense her fear, Jonas cupped her cheeks. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. It’s okay. I just want to make you feel good.”

  The simple words meant so much more than he could ever know.

  “You do. You feel so good.”

  JJ clutched at his arms, overwhelmed at not only the physical sensations of taking him deep inside, but the sense of closeness. She’d never felt this close to anyone, not even the one man who’d taught her never to trust again. But she couldn’t think about that now, not when she’d come so far and felt safe for the first time in a long time. That was how Jonas made her feel. Safe and protected and … loved.

  Jonas’s fingers tightened under her shoulders, holding her captive as he slid deeper. His harsh breaths in her ear increased, and to JJ it was the most erotic sound in the world. This was all so new to her, and she was a little scared to examine it too closely, but there was no denying their physical connection. She’d never had this reaction to a man before, like she could completely let go and be safe and secure in his arms with no judgment. Only Jonas had ever made her feel this free. She loved it and reveled in the erotic power she held over him.