by Milly Taiden
The young man wore skin-tight black pants and a gold dress shirt. He’d tied a black and gold scarf around his neck and had changed his button earrings to match his outfit as well.
“Just great.” He winced at the amount of sarcasm dripping from his voice.
“I’m surprised you were able to get into Lucky’s pants with that attitude.” The guy pouted and rolled his eyes, looking so put out by Jared’s words he would hand him an Academy Award if he had one handy.
He probably shouldn’t ask, but what the hell. “What’s wrong with my attitude?”
“So good of you to ask. Lucky is one of the most private women I have ever met. She is loyal to a fault. So when someone messes up, it stays with her.”
“Okay, so how’s that a problem with my attitude?” He motioned to the waiter for another drink and turned his full attention on the artistic genius, as Alex had referred to him.
“How you come across will either make her wary or make her want to try things with you. And honey”—he snapped his fingers—“right now, you’re coming across as ‘I am man, hear me roar.’ Not good when you are looking to get a wary woman to take a chance on you, Mr. Sexy.”
Jared swiveled on the stool. His gaze moved over the room, looking for his curvy woman dressed in red. She stood off to the side and spoke to Tanner, his and Max’s friend from college. She laughed at something he said and jealousy reared its ugly green head.
“You okay, bro? You look like you want to take someone’s head off.” Max sat on the stool next to him.
“Oh goody, it’s big boy chat time.” Jazz motioned to a passing waiter for a drink. “I’ve never been included in one of these before.” He frowned. “Probably because I always hang with the girls. But you know what they say, girls just wanna have fun, and I do love me some fun.”
“I’m fine,” Jared said and glanced from Jazz back to the dance floor where Lucky twirled in the arms of his friend—his very single friend. She was his. Only his hands should be on her gorgeous curves. Her smiles should be coming to him. Not to some other man. He wasn’t the one balls deep inside her, making her scream. Making her wet. He wasn’t the one she came for. Or the one who promised himself he’d get her pregnant because he already knew she was the one woman he wanted more than he’d ever wanted another. It was fucking irrational and unlike him, but he knew at that moment, she was it.
“So,” Max cleared his throat. “I know you mentioned that you and Lucky got acquainted last night. You do know she doesn’t live here, right?”
“That’s right,” Jazz piped in cheerfully. “You’d have to do some serious maneuvering to get her to move back up here. She’s already moved once for a man, and that didn’t turn out well at all.” He snorted. “Especially for the jerk.”
Jared glanced at the artist, hoping he’d elaborate. Jazz grinned, sipped his pink drink from a neon yellow bendy straw decorated with a flowery umbrella, and pointed toward Lucky and Tanner.
Jared shifted his gaze to the dance floor to catch Lucky doing a slow dance with Tanner. She was smiling and appeared to be having a fun time. Fuck.
Irritation danced over his skin. He wanted her in his arms, dancing and smiling at him. Why had she left? It had shocked him to wake up alone on the yacht with a raging hard-on. His plans to slide into her warm body had turned into an unfulfilled fantasy.
Thankfully, he knew all he had to do was call Max and he’d get the information on her.
“Jared.”
He turned to Max, who was watching him intently.
“She’s a very nice girl. Lucky has been kind of unlucky in the relationship department, from what Nina said. She doesn’t play games, like your ex.”
Didn’t she? Most women had a game plan. And even with that knowledge, he fucking wanted her more than his next breath.
Unable to stop himself, his vision traveled back to the dance floor, to the brunette in the dark red dress that accentuated each of her sexy curves, and the man dancing with her.
He didn’t care that it was Tanner holding her. He wanted to tear him from her, haul her into his arms and kiss her lips, lips he knew were soft, pliant, and looked amazing sucking his cock.
Max’s mention of Jared’s ex, the woman Jared had almost married but who was currently serving time in jail, soured his stomach. “I have a hard time believing there’s a single woman out there who isn’t playing her own game.”
Jazz’s outraged gasp made Jared turn once again to look at him. Jazz was glaring at him. “How little you know women. They don’t all play games. Some are really who they show you.”
He snorted and glanced back to the floor. Yeah, he knew enough about women to know they were all up to something. Just look at Lucky and how she’d left him, even after the night they’d shared. Why? And what would it take to get her to change her mind and come to him. Whatever game she wanted to play, he was ready. This time, he wouldn’t lose.
In her head, the incredible chemistry they shared probably didn’t matter. But why was he so worked up? He knew he should be glad she was acting that way. Hell, he wasn’t looking for a relationship before he met her, especially not a long-distance one.
So why was it making him fist his hands and clench his jaw to continue seeing her dancing with Tanner? They were on a third song now—not that he was counting—and deep in conversation. Why did he suddenly want to go buy baby clothes and let her change his house to be more her style? Why did he give so many fucks? Because those eyes of hers had unlocked something in his chest and now he wanted more.
“I know enough about women to know they always have an agenda. None of them do anything without asking for something in return.”
“Jared, trust me, Lucky isn’t like that.”
“Listen to your homey, Jared,” Jazz chimed in. Jared glared at him. He lifted a hand to request a new drink from the bartender. “Lucky isn’t like that. She’d never want a relationship based on what she can get out of a man. She’s genuine and nice. And probably one of the few women out there who’s more interested in getting to know you versus getting to know your wallet.”
Could that even be possible? His ex-fiancée had been so interested in his money, it had driven her to not only destroy what they had, but jeopardize the entire company. When Tanner and Lucky appeared to be ready to continue dancing, he decided he wasn’t sitting around waiting anymore. He slid off the stool. If it was true, he’d go find out. Leaving her in some other man’s arms wasn’t the way to know for sure. Besides, she was his fucking woman and it was time to go convince her of it.
“Oooh! He looks like he’s gonna go start something. Go get her, tiger! Rawr!”
He couldn’t stop the grin over Jazz’s silly comment. Making his way through the crowd, his gaze locked on his woman and he marched right to her.
6
Jared was only a few steps away when Lucky glanced in his direction. She raked her vision down his body and then slowly brought it back up to his face. His gut clenched at the vulnerable look he saw in her eyes. She seemed so exposed and confused, he wasn’t sure if he should step back or keep walking.
But some strange emotion inside him pushed him toward her, to find out what was wrong and make her feel better. That same emotion she’d unlocked in him. One no other woman had reached before. He stopped a few feet from her and Tanner.
“Hey, Jared. Did you want to cut in?” Tanner grinned, his eyes all but saying he knew why Jared wasn’t smiling.
“I believe you promised me a dance,” he lied, daring her to refute his words.
Anger brightened her eyes. “Oh? I don’t remember that promise.”
Tanner laughed. “It’s okay. I’ll talk to you later, Lucky. You have my card.”
Neither glanced at Tanner. Their gazes were locked in a silent debate, but he still pulled her into his arms for a slow dance.
Holding her so closely sent his arousal into a free fall toward his cock. She glanced away from him. He studied her profile, noticed her flawless golden s
kin was flushed, and he wasn’t sure he liked her being angry with him. He wanted her smiling. Moaning. Begging him to come inside her. But not angry. Never angry or hurting.
“We need to talk.”
Unwavering control filled her dark eyes. “I don’t think we do. I told you what I needed to do, and that was it. In the heat of the moment we all say things, Jared. You said you wanted me. That you couldn’t get enough. Great. That doesn’t mean we’re suddenly a couple.”
“Luciana—”
She tugged out of his hold. The amount of sadness he saw flash through her gaze formed a knot in his throat. “What do you want, Jared? Ask yourself that and figure out the answer before you try to get me to make any kind of compromises. I don’t have time for games.”
Her words had been soft but sure. He watched her walk toward one of the back offices, her spine arrow straight, hips swaying with each step. Jazz was right. He couldn’t approach her with that mindset. Even if he knew she was wrong. He hadn’t lied when he said there was more between them. That she was his.
If anything, he was damn sure that was the truth and he wasn’t going to let her slip out of his grasp. Once she agreed she was his that night, she’d given herself over. He wasn’t one to let someone he wanted more than he’d ever wanted another woman in his life decide she’d changed her mind. Fuck no.
Lucky entered Andrew’s office and continued straight into his attached bathroom, not bothering to shut the door behind her. She gripped the sink, trying to calm the frantic beating in her chest. Confusion ran rampant inside her. She wanted to open the door to a relationship with Jared, if that was his intention, but she had become jaded after Nick.
How amazing to know that another man could really want something serious with her so soon after meeting her. That he felt the same desperate need to be together. But her past had done some serious damage to her and now she wasn’t sure if it was smart to be with another man so soon. Or even if she was giving in too quickly. What the hell was wrong with her? She’d never been this indecisive before!
Staring at the pristine marble under her hands, she became lost in thought. So lost that she didn’t hear the quiet steps of someone behind her, until he was sliding his hands around her waist and rubbing his hard cock on her ass. She glanced up. Jared’s look was softer than before, still as intense but not as harsh.
“What are you doing now?” She cleared her throat of the frogs trying to take up residence there.
His gaze stroked her lips and then traveled up to meet her gaze again. He moved her hair over her right shoulder, leaving her neck and left shoulder exposed. Then he dipped his head and kissed the back of her neck.
“I can’t stay away from you.”
Her heart flipped in her chest. Electric pulses bombarded her core and made her sex throb.
“I want you, Lucky.”
She whimpered at the feel of his firm lips kissing and sucking up and down her shoulder. Her body ached with need. She watched him, her lids feeling incredibly heavy, through the wall of mirrors in front of her.
He moved a hand up to cup her breast over the slinky strapless dress, while the other hand tugged up the skirt and caressed the inside of her thighs before rubbing over her thong-covered crotch.
“I can’t get enough of you.”
He pulled her from the sink and turned her to face the long mirror covering the back of the door.
Her breath hitched. He tugged the neckline down, exposed her breasts, and massaged them in his large hands.
“I love touching you.”
She moaned, brought her hands up to cover his, and wiggled her ass over his cock.
“Ah, yes, sweetheart. I want you, baby. Do you want me, too?”
She held her breath and studied his gaze. She knew what he was doing, and by God she was starting to wonder if maybe she was insane for wanting to try.
If she allowed him to touch her again, she was screwed. In every way. It was pretty much telling him she was good with them seeing each other more. A real freaking relationship.
She didn’t know if she could handle that. But what if…what if she continued to see him through the wedding? She’d be there for those weeks anyway. If things didn’t work out, there would be nothing for either of them to blame the other about.
“What do you say, sweetheart?” His voice caressed her ear and she continued to watch the reflection of him fondling her breasts. It was by far one of the hottest things she’d ever seen. She cocked her head to the side to give him a better angle to kiss and lick. “Let me show you how good we can be. We can take it slow.”
She groaned and shut her eyes, but immediately jerked them open to continue watching him. “I…” He pinched her nipples and sucked on her neck.
Her pussy quivered, unfulfilled. Fuck, she was so confused, but she wanted him—wanted more time with him and wanted his cock inside her again. “Yes, okay, but only until the wedding. After that we’ll have to see.”
“It’s a start.” He nipped her shoulder and her body shuddered. “Bend over and put your hands on the mirror.”
Her eyes widened in the reflection and she licked her lips.
“I want you to see me fucking you.” He tugged the slinky dress down until it pooled by her feet. He then yanked down her wet thong. She had her hands splayed over the mirror, fully nude, wearing nothing but her heels. So hot.
He traced his way up her calves, followed by her thighs, around her front to her waist, and up to her tits. She sighed. He went straight for her nipples, pinching the little buds without mercy.
It was pleasure and pain mixed with enough potency to make her feel like tiny orgasms were rolling through her. She dropped her head back onto his shoulder. His hands left her breasts. He removed his suit jacket and pulled on his tie until it was hanging loose on his neck.
She wanted him naked, or at least wearing less than he was. He stroked her spine with his lips, soft kisses and licks that worked down to her ass. Arousal thickened in her veins, dark and needy. Bracing her hands on the glass, she watched him. Then she heard the zipper sliding before his pants dropped to the floor.
Widening her stance, she inhaled sharply when he caressed her cheeks, rubbed his cock down her crack, and finally stopped at her wet entrance.
“Watch me fuck you, baby,” he grunted. “Watch me fill your slick heat with my cum.”
With their gazes locked, he thrust into her in one quick stroke. Wildfire spread inside her. Licks of the growing inferno raced to her nipples. Scraping her nails on the mirror, she moaned when he pulled back and thrust in again.
Hard heartbeats hammered her ears. His pelvis slapping her ass made a smacking noise she found incredibly arousing. Riveted on the vision they presented, she watched herself moan, her eyes bright with desire.
“Oh…yes!”
His strokes were firm and steady. Each one fanned the flames of tension inside her. She dropped her head forward, only to have him grip her hair and tug—not painfully, but enough to get her to raise her head.
“I want to see your face.”
Light beads of perspiration lined her body, giving her already golden skin an even brighter glow. He kissed her back, sucked his thumb into his mouth, and then slid it down her crack. She felt his digit circling her hole. Her breath caught. He dipped the digit into her tight ass. Slowly. Carefully.
She whimpered, then shoved back into his driving cock and finger. Watched him clench his jaw. He slipped the finger in and out in tandem with his quick, hard strokes. She panted, groaned, and tensed.
Pressure built inside her. So heavy, she swore she was going to explode. So fast it was like a tsunami coming for her.
“Please…Jared. I need…” She moaned and watched an almost wild expression take over his face.
“I know, baby. I know exactly what you need. My dick deep inside your tight little hole. My cum sliding down your perfect legs.”
“Jared,” she said in breathless anticipation.
He released her
hair to lean forward. A single pull, and then he drove his cock deep. Hard. Harder. Jesus, it felt good. So good. Like being bitten and licked at the same time. Her body throbbed.
The taste of bliss grew closer. He ran a hand around her waist. One quick breath and he was delving his hand between her pussy lips. Her pleasure intensified with each stroke. That’s when he brushed a finger over her clit.
“Your pussy’s mine. Your gorgeous fucking body is all mine.” He pressed at her clit harder, his other hand holding her belly. “Soon, I’ll fill you up with our own babies. You know you want me to. Watch me.”
“Oh God…oh…my…” She bit her lip and choked the scream down. The climax was raw. Harsh. Amazing. So amazing, it left her struggling for air.
While she rode the waves of her release, enjoying the pleasure that blasted down her body to her pussy, she watched him close in on his own orgasm. She propelled back onto his cock, her ass pulsed on his thumb, and her pussy quivered.
“Shit!”
His moves lost all coordination, until he stopped completely, met her gaze, and cursed again. Then he did a single final drive into her that left him tense.
He jerked. Over and over. And it was amazing. But he didn’t stop until he was holding her tightly to him by the waist, skin-on-skin. He spurted hot semen into her, filling her with a warmth she loved.
Electricity flowed through her in tiny pricks that made her entire body shake. Air puffed in and out of their lungs, each ragged breath a new reminder of the passion they’d just shared.
She wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. When he pulled out of her, the heat of the moment slowly dissipated. She glanced at him in the fogged-up as he caressed her body one more time so reverently it brought a smile to her face.
She tried to stand straight, but her knees felt ready to buckle. So she stayed as she was, leaning on the glass. He grabbed paper towels, wet them, and cleaned himself before fixing his clothes.
