I shook my head.
His gave me a dark smile. Removing my hands from the outside of his shirt, he placed them underneath it, against his heated toned body. My lips parted.
He groaned with pleasure. Locking eyes, I pressed the pads of my fingers deeper into his flesh, gliding them upward over the ridges of his abs to the center of his chest then outward to skim his pecs. He inhaled sharply, pulling my hands back suddenly.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. You’re driving me crazy.” Without warning, he crouched and lifted me into his arms, striding swiftly toward the bedroom. He let me slide slowly down his body when he reached the bed. My breasts pressed against his hard chest. My belly glided along his ripped abs and encountered his steely erection.
“Oh my,” I said, glancing at him through my lashes. My fingers flexed on his forearms to steady myself.
“I think you mean, oh my Ramon. Yes. More. Harder. Faster. Please.” His eyes glittered dangerously. He reached around my shoulders, slowly lowering the zipper of my dress with one hand and tracing my spine with the pad of his thumb. A warm shiver rolled through me. “I love when you respond to me like that.”
“I love that you love it.” The roughness in my voice reflected the pulsing need centered between my legs. He peeled the short sleeves of my dress off my shoulders. They gathered at the bend of my elbows. I took a step back, straightening my arms so that gravity could do the rest. The light blue cotton flowed to the floor, puddling at my feet.
Naked but for my ice blue thong, the bedside lamps glowed softly, but I didn’t ask him to turn them off as he beamed at me. No. I shifted my shoulders, arching my back, my breasts full, my nipples taut, their tips aching for him. I preened under his hungry perusal, sliding my gaze along his body as well, lingering at the impressive bulge below his waist. His cock jumped. I swallowed, lifting my gaze to see a reflection of my true self in his darkened eyes, a woman beautiful and cherished. I removed the distance between us, grabbing his larger hands as they sought to remove his shirt. “Allow me,” I said, looking up at him through my lashes.
“Better do it fast,” he warned.
“Bossy,” I declared, whipping his shirt upward. He had to bend so I could drag it over his head. His curls tumbled free around his face. I couldn’t resist. I lifted my arms and buried my fingers in the silky wealth of them. He glided his hands down my back at the same time, his palms hot against my skin, hotter when he reached my bottom and fondled my ass, squeezing each cheek in his grip and rocking his thick length against my pulsing pussy. “Ramon,” I moaned. “Yes. More.”
“Fuck yeah,” he agreed, staring into my eyes, letting me feel every raw inch of his hunger. “Get in the bed on your hands and knees,” he ordered. “I’m not through with that sexy ass of yours.” Another rush of heat dampened my thong as I climbed into the bed, hearing the rustle of his board shorts hitting the floor. From that position, my heart pounding excitedly, I glanced back at him over my shoulder, a titan poised to claim his naughty naiad. Every step he took closer made me hotter and wetter in anticipation. I wiggled my rear. I wanted that glorious cock, every thick inch of it inside of me. He grabbed my thong, pulled it back and popped it. The lace vibrated against my swollen clit.
“Please.” I moaned. He did it again. I shuddered. “Take it off.”
“Are you wet?”
“You know I am.” I looked at him through my lashes. He leaned close, touching me, running his finger along the outer edge of the thong front to back, his cock brushing my thigh. My lips parted as I watched him bring his finger to his mouth. Then he leaned in again, covering me with his body. I trembled. He pressed his mouth to mine. I tasted myself on his lips. He kissed me with abandon, his tongue sweeping inside my mouth, his lips plundering my own. He only broke away to draw in a ragged breath.
“Please,” I begged. I was going to come if he kissed me like that again.
“Yes,” he promised. “Soon.”
“No, now,” I insisted desperately.
“Alright.” He moved behind me, smoothing his hands over my ass and down my thighs before taking me by complete surprise, making me gasp as he gave me a measured smack on each cheek. The restrained blows stung but they made my pussy quiver. He ripped my thong down my knees, positioned himself and then slid inside me so deep that his balls slapped my clit. I tightened around him. He groaned. “Love the way you do that. You’re so tight around my cock.”
“Move.” I wiggled, pressing my ass backward. “Please, Ramon. I want…”
“Yes, me, too.” He glided in and out, hard steel and slick satin.
“Harder,” I begged. “Faster.”
He obliged, pounding his cock into me. “Karen,” he praised, and I clamped around him. “Yes. Keep doing that. You feel so good.”
My scalp started to tingle. I heard his heavy breathing above my own. His tempo accelerated with each successive thrust. I couldn’t hold back. He kept hitting that perfect spot. He felt so good, so right, so hot. “Ramon, oh Ramon.”
“Fuck, Karen.” His cock grew impossibly hard. I convulsed around him. Skin to passion drenched skin, his tensed thighs slapping my ass, he unleashed his full passion. I came as violently as he did, squeezing my eyes shut, bunching the sheets inside my tightened grip, and seeing stars behind my eyelids as he erupted inside of me.
Chapter Fifty
* * *
Ramon
We cleaned up in my shower together. Even though I had just had her, by the end of the shower I wanted her again. So I took her, whipping the towel from her body like I had done once before, only this time, knowing that it meant more to her than just a way to get pregnant, it felt different. It felt like the new beginning. I knew this wasn’t just fucking and I had no ulterior motive. I only wanted what I had always wanted, to show her how I felt about her.
Cradling her naked body to my chest, I deposited her in the center of the bed, following her down and taking my time to pay homage to every part of her. We made sweet love together, coming at the same time. I drew her head to my chest when she returned from her second shower, holding her tightly to me with one arm while unthreading her hair from her braid with the other, spreading the silken strands around her pretty face as she drifted to sleep.
Now that I finally had her, I knew that I would never let her go.
• • •
Karen
Contentment making my limbs languid, I stretched my arms wide and opened my eyes to an empty bed. A sudden unease tightened my muscles. Ramon was outside. With the pocket doors to the deck open, I could hear him talking on the phone with someone. Knowing I had a surf lesson to teach, I hurriedly located my dress and put it on. Tiptoeing outside to say goodbye, I paused, pain slicing through me as I eavesdropped.
“Vanessa, I told you about her at the Deck Bar.” The breeze tossed his curls around his shoulders. Clad only in his board shorts, he had his face turned toward the ocean. “Yes that’s right. She’s Patch’s widow. An old friend.” He shook his head at whatever she said. “Look. I told you, I’m just fooling around with it. It’s nothing serious.” He nodded. “Yes, I understand exactly what you’re offering. Sure, we can get together again, but…”
I must have made a noise. He whirled around, his gaze brightening. I dropped my hand from my chest where I’d been rubbing it. My heart shriveled inside it, realizing that I’d misread him once again.
His eyes narrowed. “Listen, I gotta go.” A pause. “I’ll call you.” He stepped closer. “Hey,” he said casually. “You’re up.”
“Sorry to interrupt.”
He shrugged. “Wasn’t important.” He crossed the distance between us. I wanted to shrink away, but I couldn’t resist his beckoning embrace, even if it was destined to be a fleeting refuge.
“I can’t stay.” I could feel desire rekindling inside me. “I slept too late. I have lessons to teach today.”
“I remembered,” he said. Stepping back, he took my hand and led me b
ack into the house. “Staring at the ocean view for you this morning. I made you some migas. You can eat them on the way.” He snagged his keys from the counter and handed me a foil wrapped packet. The rich aroma of eggs, salsa, tortilla chips and cheddar made my stomach grumble and my mouth water.
“Wait…” I tugged my hand free. “I need my shoes.”
“Oh, so you do.” He flashed me a grin that made me forget about the eggs. “They’re next to the dresser. You left them in the doorway. I nearly tripped on them on my way to the kitchen.”
“Sorry,” I mumbled and dashed to retrieve them. When I returned, his eyes blazed with intensity. “What is it?” I asked.
“Just this.” He reached for me, reeling me in for a sound kiss, his fingers warm against the back of my neck.
“I haven’t brushed my teeth,” I protested, glancing down at the floor. My chest rose and fell to try to keep pace with my racing heart.
“You taste like sex. I hate like hell that I’ll have to wait until later to make love to you again.”
I seized upon those words. At the level of commitment they implied.
“Me, too,” I admitted, cheeks warm. “It will have to be much later, though I have a busy day ahead of me. I’m going to visit Dominic’s dad after surf class.”
“Mind if I tag along for the day?”
“No, not at all.” My troubled heart took flight.
“Great.” His lips curved. “Eat up. You’re going to need your strength for much later.”
Chapter Fifty-One
* * *
Ramon
“About time you picked up,” I chastised Ash, leaning against the hood of the Explorer as I watched Karen and her pupils. I could tell that at least one precocious blond boy had a big crush on my surfer girl.
“You sound out of breath. Did I interrupt something?”
“Wouldn’t share deets with you if I did, Martinez. Not that there has been much action on that front since my diagnosis.”
“I hear you.” Not many knew about Ash’s HIV status and its role in the Dogs’ demise. “But you’ve still got the moves, I’m sure things aren’t as bleak as you’re implying.”
“Again, none of your business.”
Maybe he was that lonely after all. I decided not to press him on the point.
“Anyway, you were wondering why I’m out of breath. Just got finished chasing your Laker’s girl halfway across OB.”
“Geez, you still haven’t caught her?”
“No. She’s sneaky. Probably has to be living on the streets. There’s a group of toughs with an unhealthy interest in her.”
“Yeah, I’ve run into them. Don’t take them on without back up.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. I think I’ve got her figured out, though. She keeps leading me away from the pier every time I get close. I think maybe she’s hiding something back there. If I can find it, I’ll just let her come to me.”
I lifted a brow. “Sounds like a solid plan.”
“I thought so. Then again, I was always the brains in the group.”
I snorted. “A regular Einstein.”
“You know it. So what’s on your mind? What’s got you lighting up my call log?”
“Why the hell did you give that talent rep from Black Cat Records my cell number?”
“Oh, Vanessa’s being a pain in your ass now, huh?”
“Absofuckinglutely.”
“I’m not surprised that she’s interested. That impromptu Deck Bar performance made a lot of people take notice. Diesel claims that he and you have an albums’ worth of decent material. That you two might be ready to put a band together.”
“It’s nothing really. A bunch of riffs. A couple of sheets of lyrics.”
“That’s not nothing.”
I didn’t say anything.
“You want a little help with it, or are you really not interested in starting over again?”
“You want the truth?” I ran a hand through my hair, my gaze drawn back to Karen. “I’d like a second chance with a lot of things.”
“I knew it.”
“Just not with Black Cat.”
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about Mary Timmons.”
I had too, except from her rival, Charles Morris the head of Zenith, our old label. But I saw that for what it was—pure competitive jealousy.
“If you want a real shot to the top, she’s got the resources.”
“Maybe, Ash, but that’s not exactly what I’m looking for.”
“So what is?”
Karen laughed at the little boy and ruffled his hair. I wanted her. I wanted her pregnant with our baby. I wanted her as happy as I could make her.
“I’m not ready to give music up. The creativity. The performing. I still love those things. But I don’t need to be at the top of the charts. I’m not willing to sell my soul to get there anymore. Fuck that shit.”
“So what’re you saying?”
“I’m saying, I’d like you to take a look at what I’ve got. I trust your judgment. Hell, I’d trust you with my life, man.”
“Really, Martinez. It’s too early in the morning for heavy shit like this.”
“No, it’s not. You shouldn’t waste the chance to let the people you care about know how you really feel.”
“Agreed. And for the record, it’s ditto on my side.”
• • •
I moved up behind her as she sprayed down equipment in the alley behind the surf shop. Peeling back the collar of her Mona’s Surf Shop polo, I pressed a kiss onto her neck.
She sighed, leaning her head against my shoulder.
“Let me do the rest of this. You take a load off.”
“Alright.”
She didn’t protest but there was a tightness around her eyes that had appeared when she’d noticed me on the phone with Ash, and it hadn’t left them. “That little guy ran you ragged the whole lesson.”
“I don’t mind. He’s cute.”
“You’re a sucker for cute, obviously.” I lifted a brow and gave her an imperious look.
“I guess so.” She played along.
“He only gives you a hard time because he’s infatuated with you.”
She gave that some thought. “Maybe.”
“Definitely. Don’t you remember how I used to tease you all the time?”
She nodded.
“Case in point.”
“I thought that was because you hated me.”
“You knew better, you little vixen. Every time I saw you in that red bikini I had to go jack off in the shower.”
“Ramon.” She looked around as if someone might have overheard. I dropped the hose in the holder and moved toward her.
“If you model it for me later,” I grinned, “I might even let you watch.”
Her cheeks turned bright pink. I kissed her stunned lips and then shook the wet suit over her head.
“Ramon!” she complained.
“Just cooling you down. You looked like you were getting a little hot.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
* * *
Karen
Apparently he was trying to drive me insane today. I tried to play along. I told myself to enjoy the attention and not worry about who he might have been talking to on the phone while I had been teaching my class. But I couldn’t do it. I didn’t want to be one of his chicas. He hadn’t been treating me like I was lately. He had been treating me carefully and kindly like I was everything. But if it was only pity for the widow that had swayed him, it wouldn’t last.
Morose thoughts ran through my head as I approached the front door of my house, Ramon trailing behind me.
“Hey, Mom.” I opened the door with my key. “I’m home. Where are you?” She peeked out over the railing from upstairs.
“I’ll be right down. The dinners are in the fridge. Just give me a minute to get your dad squared away.”
“Alright.” I went to the kitchen and started taking out the plastic containers which Ramon
stuffed into a paper grocery bag she had left out on the kitchen table. I could feel him watching me.
“Hi, sweetie.” My mom appeared, looking weary. She kissed me on the cheek.
“How’s dad doing?” I queried.
“He’s not having a good day.”
I frowned. He had mostly good ones since I’d been home. I had hoped it was because of me. I suddenly felt guilty for spending so much time with Ramon. “I’ll go up and see him.”
“I really wish you wouldn’t.”
“Why’s that?”
“It might just irritate him more. He gets so frustrated when he’s confused.”
“It’s ok. I’ll risk it for a hug. And I’ll leave right away if he doesn’t want to talk.”
She nodded. I squeezed her hand, leaving her and Ramon to pack the rest of the food.
My dad lay in bed in his pajamas, staring at the television.
“Hey,” I said carefully, feeling a twinge in my chest when he turned and gave me a blank look. I crossed to him and embraced him. Did he not know me?
“Don’t think your sweet hugs are going to make me change my mind, Sunshine.” I let out a relieved breath. “You need to go back to school. Dominic is a nice boy, but he’s only the first one you’ve been seriously interested in, and you’re so young. Get your degree. If you’re still in love when you graduate, then you can get married.” Symptomatic of the disease, his mind had retreated to the past.
My mom had warned me that when he got like this it was best to play along. “Yes, Daddy,” I responded gently. “That’s good advice.”
“Why won’t you listen? Why won’t she listen, Linette?” He spoke to an empty space by the wall, as if my mom were standing right there. “She was such a good girl until those boys in the band starting coming around.”
Shit. I backed slowly out of the room, my eyes blurring as I did. I hated to see this happening to my dad, watching him disappear right before my eyes.
He had always been there for me.
(Complete Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances #1-5) Page 53
