Seven Guilty Pleasures

by Jeannette Winters

  Damn, she can kiss. He couldn’t remember another woman who kissed with such . . . fire. She was intriguing in many ways, but he hadn’t expected such heat, and they were only getting started.

  With one strong move, he lifted her into his arms. He didn’t want to let her go, but the efficiency apartment didn’t leave much room to maneuver. There was only one other door, and he figured it was the bathroom. Although making love to her in the shower appealed to him, right now he wanted someplace she could lie back and enjoy. “Where?”

  They broke contact for only a second, but he could feel her tense as her eyes caught sight of the sofa bed. Drake took a few steps and then sat down so she was standing firmly against him. Cupping her face with one hand he said, “Do you know how beautiful you are?”

  Isa stood there, looked around the room, and then turned back to him. “Drake, look around you. How can you look at me and think I’m . . . pretty.”

  Tracing her lip with his thumb he said, “You’re not pretty. I said beautiful. And what on earth does your apartment have to do with anything? A place doesn’t make a person. Nor do clothes. You can take a piece of shit and put it in a mansion, and guess what, it still smells like shit.”

  She looked puzzled then grinned. “I’ve only read a few romance books, but I’m sure that line was never used before. You are definitely . . . unique.”

  Drake smirked. “At least you didn’t say I was a piece of shit.”

  Isa reached a hand up and touched his cheek. “No. You’re amazing. And you make me feel—”

  “Beautiful?” Drake asked, cocking a brow.

  “Wanted,” Isa answered softly.

  “Honey, you are wanted in more ways than I can express. You’ve shaken my world. Somehow, in a short time, you have been able to take my stance in life and relationships and pretty much toss them out the window. I’m not normally a very affectionate man, and as you’ve pointed out, not very romantic either. But you make me want to be both.”

  “You make me . . . want things as well.”

  Isa wasn’t any more ready to say the words than he was. That was okay. There was plenty of time for that.

  Claiming her lips again, he was showing her what neither could voice. He continued exploring her mouth while his hands fumbled with the button and the zipper of her jeans. Isa’s arms were wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to her. He slipped her jeans down and she stepped out of them. He did the same with his slacks. The coolness of her bare legs against his hot ones ignited the fire deep in his gut.

  Reaching around, his hand roamed over her well-rounded ass. So perfect. He wanted to dig his fingers into her soft flesh, but he needed her to know what it was like to be loved, not taken. Drake couldn’t get enough of her, but his own desire meant nothing. He was going to treat her like a delicate flower, the most precious gift there was. This was completely new to him. He’d never felt the need to . . . care . . . to attend so carefully and thoroughly to a woman’s needs. Because they’d never been mine before.

  Slipping his hands to the curve of her back, he rested them there, his thumbs on her hips. The need to taste every inch of her was driving him mad. Isa began kissing him hungrily, and he was forced to drag his lips from her. But she didn’t stop. Her lips traced across his jaw then down his neck where she nipped him. Fuck. Holding back was nearly impossible with her taking the lead.

  Isa seemed intent on exploring and tasting every inch. She licked and nibbled her way across his collarbone, and he swore she moaned each time her tongue darted out. But when her hands ran down his chest and touched his bare thigh, blood rushed to his cock, and it was demanding attention. He pulled her hands up to rest on his shoulders. He couldn’t have her touching him anywhere near his cock right now. If she did, his last shred of self-control would be lost.

  “Drake, please,” Isa begged, her hands gripping his shoulders. The look in her eyes reflected his desire. “I want to . . . touch you.”

  “Isa, I want to show you what it can be like. Let me touch you, pleasure you. You don’t have to do anything but enjoy.” Never before had he pushed a woman away who was offering to please him. But this is Isa. Everything is different. Because it’s her. And she’s . . . mine.

  His cock ached, wanted to be touched and loved by her. Easy, Drake. Don’t forget what she’s been through. Don’t be one of those assholes. But he couldn’t say those words to her because that would bring back memories of things he wanted to help her forget. Fuck. What do I do?

  Drake’s mind battled his body. He needed to find a way to get them on the same page. He would give her something higher to touch.

  A soft sigh left her as he broke contact to remove his shirt, one button at a time. Damn, I need to start wearing T-shirts. Her eyes were wild as she watched him slip it off his shoulders and toss the shirt on the floor. She reached down, grabbed hold of the bottom of her T-shirt, pulled it over her head, and threw it on top of his. Oh fuck, she is exquisite. How am I supposed to resist her?

  Her actions said one thing, but he needed her to voice them. No way could he risk assuming anything. “Tell me you want this.” He knew if she didn’t stop him now, there was going to be no stopping.

  “Drake, I trust you.”

  They were powerful words, and he knew they weren’t easy for her to say. After what she’d been through, he knew she was shocked by them as well.

  “I promise, honey, I could never hurt you. It kills me to see you cry.”

  “No tears tonight.”

  He wasn’t sure about that. The emotions that were running through him almost brought tears to his eyes. He couldn’t ever recall crying in his life. Yet her saying she trusted him made him weak in the knees, his heart bursting. No one had to tell him he loved Isa. When she was ready to hear it, he’d tell her. For now, he’d try his best to show her.

  When he reached out for her, she brushed his hand away. Reaching behind her back, she unhooked her white cotton bra and let it fall to the floor in front of him. Her nipples were taut, and he wanted to take them into his mouth and taste each one.

  There was no sexy lingerie but it wasn’t needed. Isa was sexy as hell just as she was. Cotton briefs and all. He didn’t care what she wore; it was all about who she was. And how I feel when I’m with her.

  Running his hands over her back and ribcage slowly with just his fingertips, he watched as she closed her eyes and enjoyed being touched. It wasn’t hot and heavy like he wanted, but instead a soothing yet erotic massage. Any softer and it’d need to be a feather.

  He closed his eyes as well and explored her a bit further, over her shoulders, up and down her arms, brushing the sides of her breast along the way.

  Her skin was silky smooth. Perfection to him. She needs to know how perfect she is. But words won’t do that. She’ll know by how I love her. Worship her.

  Her nipples were erect, begging to be tasted. Drake continued to stroke her as he bent over, taking one nipple in his mouth. She moaned as he flicked it with his tongue and then pulled at it gently with his teeth.

  Isa arched her back, offering him the other breast. Her nipples hardened into tight little peaks as he licked them in a slow circular motion. He could feel her body warming against his as he explored her breast. When he bit lightly, she arched closer to him, moaning his name, barely a whisper. She was so responsive to him. Every moan and cry enhanced his desire. One that he wasn’t going to satisfy. At least not this time. This was all about Isa. I’ve never needed anyone like this, and yet my needs mean nothing to me. How is that possible?

  “You’re so damn beautiful.” His lips trailed up her throat, kissing, caressing, and nipping gently until they once again claimed hers. One hand slipped down between her legs, and he could feel how hot and ready she was for him. There was a barrier that had to go. Tugging at her underwear, she wiggled her hips and they slid down while she stepped out of them. Then his hand once again found its way between her legs, this time caressing her. Gently his fingers made their way thr
ough the small patch of dark curls to the slit that begged him to enter.

  Isa gripped his shoulders, her nails digging in, as his finger found her clit.

  “Drake.” She breathed his name into his mouth.

  She was so wet and he wanted to taste her so much he ached. But he wasn’t done exploring her or her hot core. Pulling her closer to him, his hand urged her legs apart, and he used his fingers to open her folds. “Honey, you’re so wet. But I want the flood gates to open and feel you release around my fingers.”

  “Please, Drake, I . . .” Her voice was barely a whisper as she trembled in his arms. He supported her with his arm as his other hand fingered her clit.

  “Let me show you, honey.”

  He couldn’t take his eyes off her face and wanted to see the desire burning in her, but her eyes remained closed. Slipping a finger deep inside, she sucked in her breath and grabbed onto his shoulders as she shuddered. Damn, you’re so tight. He knew she wasn’t a virgin, but it was as though she was. He needed to go slowly with her. First he entered her with one finger, and only when she’d become accustomed to it, he entered with a second while his thumb stroked her clit. Her moans filled the room as he went faster, deeper. Her breathing came in gasps and she called out his name, twisting wildly in his arms. As she cried out, he felt her body clench around his fingers. Isa pulled him close and bit his shoulder, trying to muffle her cries as she released her hot juices on his hand.

  He didn’t give her time to catch her breath before picking her up in his arms so he could lay her on the sofa bed. He wanted to enter her so badly his cock actually hurt. Although he might have to beat off later.

  “That . . . was . . .” Isa tried speaking, but she was somewhere between here and heaven.

  “You haven’t felt anything yet, honey.”

  He’d made love to her with his fingers, now he wanted to do so with his mouth. His hands on her hips leisurely caressed their way down her thighs then to her knees, where he urged them to open wider, giving him access to her most private parts. His gaze dropped from her eyes to her shoulders, slowly and seductively drifting downward. He could feel her heart racing in anticipation. Kneeling down between her legs, his gaze as soft as a caress, he blew on her inner thigh. A brief shiver rippled through her.

  “Please, Drake,” Isa begged and opened wider.

  He didn’t stop. “Please, what?” he asked, blowing again, this time on her core. “Did you want me to stop?” He knew damn well that wasn’t it, but he gave her the option.

  “I . . . want . . .”

  “This?” he asked as he fulfilled her request, placing a soft kiss on her folds. Her only response was a deep moan. His tongue flicked her clit, sending shivers through her. He loved how she trembled at his touch. “You taste so sweet,” he murmured against her hot flesh.

  Drake clenched her ass, pulling her closer to him while his tongue teased her more intimately, darting in and out. Her hands, no longer grasping at him, now gripped the sheet. When he thought she couldn’t take any more, he slid a finger into her hot center while he sucked her clit.

  She inhaled sharply and lifted her hips off the sofa bed. “Drake, I—”

  His tongue increased its assault, nipping and licking while his fingers worked their magic. He wanted to take her to new heights, and the sweet torture of holding her there prolonged the prize.

  “I can’t . . . I need to . . .” Arching her back off the bed, her body shook with uncontrollable waves of her climax. “Drake. Oh, Drake.” Her cries echoed through the room as her fingers tangled in his hair. He didn’t stop. Instead his fingers stroked her faster, harder. It was sweet torture as he circled her clit with his tongue again and again in a rhythm that brought her to a second orgasm then a third.

  When he stopped, she lay there, panting. Only then did he notice the tears rolling down her cheeks. Drake quickly lifted himself and lay down beside her, holding her. She was gasping for breath.

  “Honey, what’s the matter? Did I hurt you?” He knew she was pleading with him, and he immediately thought it was because she was overwhelmed with desire. Fuck. He’d never forgive himself it he hurt her physically or emotionally.

  Isa shook her head. “You didn’t.” But the tears kept coming.

  Drake cuddled her close to him as she cried. As her body rocked with sobs, he squeezed his eyes shut tight, but a few tears of his own still escaped. He knew her joy was his joy and her sorrows were his as well. He’d do everything to heal her. To kiss away every scar. To show her she’s precious. Incredible. Not alone.

  “It’s okay, honey. I promise you, I’m not going anywhere. Not tonight, or any other time.”

  Isa sniffed and choked out, “Why?”

  He wiped the tears from her cheeks and said gently, “Because I love you.”

  Those weren’t words he ever thought would come from his lips, but they were the only thing that represented what was in his heart.

  “You love me? I’m . . . nobody.” Isa’s voice cracked at the words.

  “I don’t know who you are to the rest of the world, and really I don’t care. But Isa, you’ve become more to me than I could’ve imagined.”

  Isa snuggled up against him. “You make me believe.”

  “In what?” Drake asked.

  “Tomorrows.”

  His heart ached for her. There was nothing he could say, because he couldn’t relate to what she’d experienced.

  “Then believe that we’ll face them together.”

  He lay holding her when he heard her mutter something as she was drifting off to sleep. He brushed the hair from her face and asked, “That was what, honey?”

  “That was number seven.” Her voice barely a whisper as she fell asleep.

  Seven? Damn, maybe I’m better than I thought. Although he’d like to think she was referring to orgasms, she was talking about something else. But now he had something to strive for tomorrow.

  Chapter 12

  Drake had gotten up early but let Isa sleep. It wasn’t as though he would’ve made her breakfast, because he didn’t cook for himself, but he would’ve made coffee. The only thing he could find was tea, in a variety of flavors. There wasn’t any time of day that tea appealed to him, and definitely not first thing in the morning.

  He turned to take one more look; Isa was still passed out. Since she didn’t get much sleep, thanks to him, he wasn’t about to wake her. But if she woke and found him gone, he knew she’d panic. Especially after everything they’d shared, what he’d promised, he couldn’t risk it. So he did the next best thing to going to get breakfast, he had it delivered. One problem. They said they wouldn’t climb four flights of stairs. That meant he’d need to leave her for at least ten minutes to meet the delivery guy and come back upstairs.

  Either way, Drake needed to leave her a note. He didn’t like fishing, but he needed paper. Finally he found a notepad. He flipped through it, trying to find a blank sheet. His eyes caught one page that his name leaped from. He knew he should keep turning the pages, but he couldn’t. The title screamed for him to read.

  Seven Guilty Pleasures

  Drake snickered. As he read them off to himself silently, he remembered what she said last night before drifting off for a catnap. Number seven. That’s what he’d provided. Fuck, yes. Isa continued to surprise him. Maybe it was time he did the same. He pulled a pen out of his pocket and jotted down a few additions. Things she might add for herself from what he’d seen last night.

  Eight: the way Drake makes me scream out his name.

  Nine: the way Drake kisses me from head to toe and back up again.

  Ten: the way Drake LOVES me. With ALL his heart.

  That was enough for now, and it made the point he wanted. And hopefully makes her laugh. Jotting down a quick note saying he went to pick up breakfast, he put the entire notepad beside her on the sofa bed so there was no chance she’d miss it if she woke.

  He was so tempted to give her a kiss, but he knew if he did, he wouldn’t s
top. All he wanted to do was stay in bed, naked, with Isa all day. Unfortunately that wasn’t possible. There were things they needed to talk about. He’d avoided certain topics last night, but they still needed to be discussed. The longer he waited, the harder it was going to be. Breakfast first.

  While he was downstairs waiting, he figured it was the perfect time to touch base with Gabe. Things might be settled regarding Isa, but he needed to know the status of Tabiq. Of course, they were in a totally different time zone, but he needed answers. Drake didn’t really care who he woke.

  “I tried calling you last night. All I got was your voice mail. Everything okay?” Gabe asked.

  Drake had purposely shut off his phone. He’d expected to have a quiet dinner with Isa, but once he realized that wasn’t happening, he never turned it back on.

  “I had things to take care of. What did you learn? Did you find the asshole behind this shit?”

  “We have a plan in place. It’ll be a few days, but the bastard is going down.”

  Drake couldn’t be happier to hear the news. With Isa’s sister living there, he needed Tabiq to be as safe as could be. It also gave him yet another reason to make the resort in Tabiq successful. There was a face behind all that pain now, and he needed to try to put an end to it. Not sure if it will end, but I’ll do whatever I can to help make it possible.

  “And you’re positive this is the guy. No questions?”

  “None. He made the mistake of linking one account where he shouldn’t have. There’s always something, you just keep looking until you find it.”

  Gabe was good. Drake had no idea why he wasn’t working for the government, but then again, it wasn’t his business. Gabe had been hired for a job, and apparently he’d pulled it off. Drake had one last question.

  “And the information needed to prove my employees were set up?”

  “Was emailed to you last night. You’d know that if you bothered checking. Should I ask how Isa is?” Gabe asked with a hint of sarcasm.