Indulgence

by Liz Crowe

  “Inside.”

  “Yes, very soon. What else do you like?”

  “I like this.” She reached down between them and gently guided his hand, pressing two of his fingers deep inside her. Her moan turned him to granite.

  “Yes. Good girl,” he said with difficulty. “Does this make you come, Gina?” His balls were on fire as he watched her writhe beneath him, helping him pleasure her with his two fingers.

  “Almost.” He loved watching her barely able to keep from coming apart. She was barreling over the cliff.

  “Save it for me, okay?” He suddenly wanted to come inside her at precisely the same time as she did. For some reason, it was important.

  “Can’t wait much longer,” she whispered.

  He rimmed her opening when she removed her grip. She was reaching for his cock, smoothing the muscles of his lower torso. He watched her beautiful skin shudder in the diminished light and reveled in the need she showed him. He bent down and licked the long slit of her sex again and kissed her nub. “You taste so good,” he said over her moan. He bent and laved her again.

  “Please,” she begged.

  “Honey, I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere,” he said. He watched as she gave him a sultry smile. She knew he was teasing her, making her wait. And he knew that the longer she waited, the harder she would come.

  “Please.” She grinned. “Fuck me, Armando.”

  He liked the sound of his name on her tongue. He usually didn’t like women to talk dirty to him, but coming from Gina’s gorgeous lips, he loved it. Leaving a finger inside her, he leaned over and kissed her neck, her breasts through the black lace bra. Then he found her mouth. He heard her muffled moan, when she must have tasted her own juices as they kissed.

  Her sparkling dark eyes in the evening light called to him. He placed both hands next to her face and gently bent down and kissed her deeply. She wrapped her legs around his waist and rubbed her sex against his package. Without either of them using hands, his unit found her. They both paused as he poised at her opening.

  He was overcome with the need to be careful with her, for some reason. He remembered the packet she held. It bothered him to break the moment, but he had to use protection.

  Gina tore the top open with her teeth and had the condom coating him in seconds. She ringed his girth and fondled his balls, giving them a gentle squeeze that nearly sent him into orbit. Then she removed her hands, placing them above her head.

  Again, his package found her. She arched to accept him, her chin extended and her lovely neck bared. He slid his left hand under her head and brought her face to his as he watched the pleasure of his entrance in her lovely brown eyes.

  “Oh God,” she said. “Oh…” Her voice bounced as he rode her slowly at first, then faster. He released her breasts with the front clasp of her bra and sucked hard on her nipples. His pace quickened as he thrust deeper and deeper, her legs squeezing tightly around his waist. He could feel her red high heels against his back. He was going to explode in a few seconds, but not before she did.

  She clenched down on him and he began to lose control. “Come for me baby,” he whispered and Gina screamed and began to shake. She pulled his head down and kissed him hard, moaning. Armando began to lurch as he plunged deep inside her. God, he’d never wanted to screw a woman so deep, so full, so hard. For several delicious moments they jerked and writhed as he let his orgasm fuel hers. He caressed her skin and wanted to kiss her everywhere as she moved against him, as she gave herself up to him.

  He never wanted it to end. He’d take everything she could give him.

  And more.

  In the hazy aftermath of their lovemaking Armando noticed that Gina’s eyes were filled with tears. He kissed her cheeks, rubbing the streamers of saltiness away with his thumbs. He kissed her eyes and then lost himself in her mouth all over again.

  “Thank you. That was incredible,” he said as he came up for air. He never said that to women. He was used to hearing it, though, but Gina didn’t say that. Instead she said,

  “I want you in my bed.”

  Well, he wasn’t about to deny the lady anything. After all, he’d just had the best sex of his entire life. It had been short, too short. And it had happened in an old pickup truck, not even in private, on a bench seat littered with Fredo’s fast food wrappers. But it was still the best sex of his life. And he wanted more.

  Way more.

  Chapter Five

  Gina couldn’t believe she’d cried. In the back of a dirty pickup after scorching hot sex. Well, on the back seat of an old pickup. And with the hot guy she’d been dreaming about ever since she’d met him, that Navy SEAL with the training and the self-discipline she obviously lacked. What did he think of her? Even though he wiped away her tears, kissed her eyes, her ears and whispered things to her mouth she didn’t understand…something in Spanish she didn’t recognize. He must have thought she was a deranged, loose, unprincipled woman so hot for sex she’d do it in a garbage dump.

  Her body started to awaken from its erotic sleep as he kissed her, cooed in her ear. The ache between her legs became uncomfortable again.

  I’m embarrassed. God in Heaven. Was she really that desperate?

  Something inside her made the tears already filling her eyes gush. She turned away from him and tried to bury her head in her wadded-up dress. What was this? It wasn’t regret or shame.

  What, Gina?

  Armando’s strong fingers lifted her chin and turned her to stare directly into his warm brown eyes. Did she see pity there?

  “What is it, baby?” He kissed her again gently on the mouth. He rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs, holding the back of her head, lazily making circles in her scalp with his long fingers, as he nibbled everywhere. “Did I hurt you?” he whispered.

  What? How could he think that? Oh yes, the tears. He thought she was in some sort of pain.

  Well, I am. Something deep down inside her had been uncorked, and now her emotions came out in a jumbled mess like clothes in a dryer. Reds, yellows, blues and whites all mixed together. Random. No order. And so frightening.

  He nudged under her ear and whispered, after planting a delicate kiss, “Talk to me, Gina. I didn’t mean to hurt you, take advantage. Baby, I’m so sorry.”

  So this guy was telling her he was sorry for releasing her inner siren, the one she kept locked up because she always got Gina in trouble? The one that fell too quickly for guys, especially guys who were masters at breaking her heart? Like this Navy SEAL.

  And she’d told him she wanted him in her bed.

  What have you done?

  She’d been staring at the dog tags dangling over her, at the way the silver shone against his thick, tanned neck. His dark eyebrows and long black lashes, the fullness of his lips. She loved the gentle rise and fall of his chest, making the dog tags sway in the moonlight, touching her flesh, tinkling like tiny pieces of breaking glass. It was music. She saw the beads of perspiration caught in the stubble above his upper lip. That lock of hair that fell in a shiny loose curl over his smooth tanned forehead. This was a face she could fall for, dream about forever. This was the face of a protector, a hero. And worst of all, he was worried about how she felt.

  His forefinger rubbed along her lower lip, bringing her gently back to reality. A small crease line had formed between his bushy eyebrows. A vein pulsed above it, disappearing into his hairline.

  She pressed her palms against his pecs, resting against his warm flesh for a moment before pushing his hard body. He rose up and helped her to sitting position with one strong muscled arm. He sighed, looking out the windshield at the passing lights through the trees.

  She had to explain, and hoped she could. “It isn’t what you think.”

  The jerk of his right shoulder told her he wanted to put an arm around her and draw her close, but he’d stopped himself. He was resisting the urge to be tender with her. God, her heart was beating so hard she thought she might faint.

  “The int
ensity. I’m not used to that much intensity.” She took a chance and turned to look at his profile. The vein in his forehead disappeared. He started to nod slowly. Then she saw the crease form at the side of his lips, precursor to an unmistakable smile. As he continued to nod, she watched his chin arc towards her, his body shift. His arm wrapped around her shoulders as his fingers played with the hair at the nape of her neck. Firm fingers dug into the muscles at the top of her spine and massaged her there, making her relax.

  His eyebrows tented as he seemed to have difficulty holding back laughter. “But you’re okay with the sex?” His eyes sparkled as he searched her face, like he was memorizing every detail. The lips that had done wonderful things to her body just minutes before drew back and she was completely dazzled with the most gorgeous smile she’d ever seen.

  “I’m good with the sex.” She matched his smile.

  “Outstanding, because, sweetheart, I’m just getting warmed up.”

  Oh, God.

  “That invitation still open?” he asked.

  She frowned, not sure what he was talking about. He leaned over and kissed one of her nipples, sending it into a delicious little knot. He held the side of her neck with one hand as he kissed her all the way up the other side.

  “The part where you said you’d show me your bed,” he whispered. His warm breath gave her a little tickle she felt all the way to her knees and beyond. Then his fingers eased their way toward the aching place between her thighs, but she kept them pressed together.

  “I love the way your body moves,” he whispered. “The way your body tastes.”

  She relaxed her knees and allowed him to slip a finger into her opening. Their heat level was rising fast. She giggled. “Can we do it without the trash?”

  He jerked for a second, pulled back to study her expression and returned the chuckle. “That was a new one for me too. Why don’t we get dressed and you take me to your place? I’ll see if I can introduce you to some more intensity, but only if you want to. You tell me when to stop, okay?”

  He held her chin with his fingertips, placing his forehead against hers.

  “’Kay,” was all she was capable of saying.

  The ride over was uneventful, except for the way she needed to sit close to him, their thighs touching, his hand smoothing down hers, up and down between her knee and her hip. Her body missed his warmth when he had to pull away and shift the gears on the truck. She felt as if she were in high school, with the soccer player she’d fallen in love with who always drove her home after games. They’d detour down a country lane for some beautiful sex before he’d take her to her front door. He used to drive his father’s old landscaping truck, but it mattered little to her.

  She’d lost her virginity to him that summer. It was a simple, quick affair before he was to ship out overseas. There were no promises made, but she knew she’d wait for him to come home. He was the son of Mexican immigrant parents and had been proud to sign up to do his duty for the adopted country he loved. The uncomplicated, simple ways he showed his gentle affection for her became something she depended on. When he left for Afghanistan, she’d found herself in a funk until the day his father called and told her in his broken English that his son had been killed.

  Something inside her died that day.

  Gina thought perhaps all the other brief relationships she’d had afterwards, the horrible choices she’d made in the ensuing years, had been an attempt to find him again in the arms of her new lovers. But no one compared.

  Until now.

  Now she was about to let in someone she had no business being intimate with. She’d let him fully have his way with her. The brother of their person of interest. Were her personal feelings getting in the way of her job?

  Hell, yes.

  So, maybe that’s why she’d been crying. Maybe this was the way it felt, just before you get your heart broken. Like the body knows before the head does.

  She watched the jewel sparkles of the colored evening lights against the raindrops on the windshield in front of her. The music was playing some tune she recognized, but didn’t want to recall. Like it was something she’d have to forget later on. The warm familiarity with which his hands caressed her, how she fit right inside the stretch of his arm, how good it smelled to lean her head against the bulge of his shoulder. Even though she was headed down a one-way, dangerous tunnel, for some reason she felt safe.

  They pulled up to the condo the Department had rented for her. All her stuff was in storage, since this assignment meant she had to let her other apartment go. Like her life, everything familiar and part of her past was packed safely away under lock and key. Her family photographs, yearbooks from college, and special cards she’d saved were all hidden.

  Only her public persona for the job, the “cheap” Gina, who was the best friend to the lady they were using to get info on the gang activity—that Gina was the one who lived here.

  But that Gina had snagged this man, this perfect night. So why deny herself? After all, wasn’t this just like all the other guys she fell for? Guys who left her? Wasn’t it about time for her to take charge, allowing herself to enjoy something, just this once? Then she’d be the one to do the leaving. Wouldn’t that be good self-care? Break his heart before he could break hers? Then it would be back to business. All cop, the real Gina. The Gina who was tough and could function in a man’s world of crime, death and abuse.

  She’d been leaning against him, and when he turned off the motor and pulled the brake, she was reluctant to leave his side. They sat for a moment watching droplets collect and stream down the glass in front of them. No sense rushing if this night was all she would have with him. She knew that whatever was coming next was going to change her life forever.

  Armando looked down at her. “You okay?”

  Gina nodded, but didn’t pull away.

  “You sure? Now is the time to stop it, if you got some reason—”

  She reached up and pulled his head forward, kissing him. The heat and the fire between them ignited again. The once-tentative kiss became all consuming. Their hands flew over each other’s bodies.

  A sharp whack on the driver window from the outside shattered their aroused stupor. Gina knew instantly who it was before she saw Sam’s tense outline under the light of the streetlamp. His twisted face was red with rage.

  Armando was out of the truck so fast Gina almost fell into the driver’s door. With a couple of kicks to Sam’s fleshy midsection and one to his face, the SEAL had Sam on the pavement groaning, and then suddenly he went limp.

  “You fuckin’ animal. Now you got a fight.” Armando straddled him, yanking Sam’s arms up. But Sam was beyond caring. Gina slid out quickly and tried to stop Armando, but he pushed her off.

  “Get inside, Gina. Lock the door and call the cops.”

  “Armando, don’t hurt him.”

  The smirk Armando showed her broke her heart. His face was full of a question he probably didn’t want to ask.

  “I can handle this,” she began. “You shouldn’t get involved,” she pleaded. It was true. Sam wasn’t really a threat to her, because she would call the Department and complain, probably bring paramedics to look Sam over, which would give Gina protection. But if Armando did some permanent physical damage to a member of San Diego’s finest, he’d be in a whole lot of trouble. And with a blown cover, so would she. Armando had to be convinced to leave.

  “Go. I’ll be okay.”

  “I can’t leave you alone. Here. With this guy,” Armando shot back.

  “You have to. Don’t worry, I’ll call the cops. But you don’t want to be involved. Just disappear. I promise I’ll call the cops right now. If you get involved, you risk your career, Armando. He’s not worth it.”

  Armando stood up. Sam’s bloodstained the front of his shirt. His fingers combed his hair and then he put hands on his hips, breathing heavily. “But you are,” he said.

  “No, Armando. I’m not. Please, just go.”

  “So it
’s going to be this way, huh?” Gina noticed the bitter squint in Armando’s face.

  “Not what you think. All he wanted was to break the two of us up. He’s done that. Let me get some medical attention for him and get the police to haul him away. I’ll say I did this.”

  Armando frowned at the suggestion. “Like they’ll believe you that you beat this piece of shit up? What if he presses charges against you?”

  “You think he’d risk the ridicule of his biker buddies, saying he was slapped around by a girl? His ex? Leave it, Armando.”

  Sam started to groan.

  “Please. I don’t want you getting into trouble on my behalf.” Gina practically got on her knees to plead.

  “Why don’t you let me worry about that?” he said, wiping sweat from his forehead with his arm.

  “Because I have a gun and I know how to use it. Trust me, I’ll be okay.”

  Armando adjusted his clothes and rolled one shoulder. She could see anger and confusion cross his face, but at last he shrugged and came closer to where she stood.

  “I’m sorry. I thought—”

  “He didn’t care anything about me until he found me with someone else. Remember what I told you? He’s married. He has no right…”

  “Gina, all the reason I shouldn’t leave you alone with him.”

  “Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson would disagree. Trust me when I tell you I’m quite safe. If I felt otherwise, I wouldn’t request you leave.”

  “Then go inside. I’ll wait here until I know you’re inside. What if his friends are just lurking around some car here?” He made a sweeping motion with his hand.

  “No. Absolutely no. You get out of here.”

  “Why are you protecting him?”

  “I’m not. I’m protecting you. This could go on your record. He’s not worth the trouble he could cause you.”

  “I can handle myself. Worse badasses have come after me before and I did just fine.”

  “Yea, with the rest of your Team. This is different. You’re going to have to trust me on this, Armando. Please! Just go. I’ll be fine.”