Lucky Baby (Crescent Cove Book 11)

by Taryn Quinn

  “Ass.” She shielded her eyes against the dying sun streaming across the field. Slowly, the tension rolled off her shoulders. She drew in a long, deep breath, then shifted toward me. “I’m hungry.”

  I grinned down at her. “We’ve got your cooler of goodies, and I saved you a sandwich from the diner.”

  “Thank God.” She opened the door again and pulled out her bag. She dropped it on the grass then whipped her dress off.

  I was so shocked I stumbled and almost fell out of the truck.

  She raised a brow at me. “Like you’ve never seen a pair of tits.”

  “I haven’t seen yours yet.” Her smoky gray bra was see-through, giving me a glimpse of small pink nipples.

  She yanked out a sweatshirt from her bag and pulled it on. The bottom half of her was outlined in opaque black stockings that showed every damn line of her ass and legs. She went out of view as she leaned against the bench seat to pull on her leggings from earlier.

  I took that opportunity to try to breathe without attaching my mouth to the air pump for some added assistance.

  When she showed up next to the truck bed again, she had on a pair of thick socks. Even those made her hotter.

  I was a sick, horny puppy.

  “Is this your usual seduction scene?”

  I glanced at the now firm air mattress. I’d zipped two sleeping bags together for maximum warmth and movement. “I can’t say I’ve never had sex on an air mattress, but that wasn’t the intention.”

  She folded her arms on the side of the truck and set her chin on her arms. “I haven’t had sex on an air mattress. We’ll see how it goes once you feed me.” She peered down at the end where the tailgate was open. “How do I get up there?”

  My brain went fuzzy after she said maybe we’d have sex.

  She pushed away from the truck and trailed her fingertips along the side panel as she walked to the tailgate. “Guess it’s a good thing you have such a big…truck.”

  I couldn’t remember the last time I’d struggled to catch up when a woman was so obviously flirting. Well, flirting for Tish anyway.

  She pushed up her sleeves and was about to hop onto the tailgate when I finally snapped out of it. I reached the end of the truck bed in one long stride and held my hand out for her. She tipped her head and gave me a long look before we locked hand to arm and I hauled her up. She was solid and soft at the same time.

  I slid my arm around her back, but she slipped away. “Food first, Thor.”

  Before she could escape, I hauled her right back, trapping her hand against my chest. “Are you taunting me, Ruby?”

  Her lids lowered over her eyes until they were mere slits. “I don’t taunt and I don’t tease.”

  I lifted her up on the air mattress, giving her a slight height advantage. Her eyes flared to life, so dark I couldn’t tell what was going on in that head of hers.

  Our lips hovered mere millimeters apart. The click of a mint rattling around in her mouth made me ache for that bite of flavor.

  Her tongue swiped over her bottom lip and that was all it took. Whatever patience I’d had left vanished.

  My hand slid across her lower back, diving under the loose hem of her sweatshirt. Heat and smooth skin were my rewards. She shivered lightly, but her gaze was fixated on my mouth.

  “Tell me you want this as much as I do.”

  Her gaze tracked to mine. A deluge of emotions flickered in her eyes. Surprise, want, apprehension—they all tumbled together in a kaleidoscope of frustration.

  Then her mouth was on mine.

  My other hand cupped the back of her neck as I tried to wrangle the inferno of passion between us. With the height of the air mattress giving her an inch on me, she snatched the tiny imbalance of power.

  Her nails dug into my chest just as her tongue snaked inside my mouth. Searching and finding all the little pieces that would lead to my destruction. She tangled with my tongue, then gave a feral smile as she nipped the tip before curling around to ease the hint of pain.

  I was used to being the aggressor in a kiss. The first few steps of the dance between vertical and horizontal were important to see if I needed to lead or follow.

  Here there was no following. There was only surrender.

  She wrapped her arms around my shoulders. The wisps of her loosening braid lifted in the breeze and curled around us like a crackling fire.

  I let her have the upper hand—welcomed it because that meant I could touch her. I’d been starving for her skin, her taste, her scent. My hands slid down to grip her ass and to lightly mold and stroke.

  She rocked against me, frustration and impatience humming between us. She fisted my hair, moving my head to the angles she wanted. The kisses somehow went deeper, with lashing tongues trying to fight for dominance. Her clever teeth nipped at my lower lip as her lids lifted to watch.

  Her sudden smile—bright and full voltage for once—had my dick knocking against her belly. She was always beautiful, even with the sadness she’d been carrying around like a knapsack. But now with the sunset haloing the fiery and potent woman underneath the emotions that had rocked her—I didn’t have a single defense.

  She was the Valkyrie whose power had punched me in the chest the first time we met. Instead of irritation, there was nothing but want shimmering off of her.

  For me.

  “Fuck,” I said against her mouth and went back for another taste. The mint got in my way and I captured it with my teeth, pulling away long enough to get rid of it. “Just your taste. I can’t get enough of it.”

  Teeth clicked as we tore at the clothes between us. I let her go to drag off her sweatshirt and went right for the tight tips trying to blast through the flimsy bra. She pulled my hair, and I wasn’t sure if it was to stop me until I let go of her hard nipple.

  She growled and arched her back to get me back where she wanted me. I was more than happy to oblige. I reached around to find the snap and flicked it open with one hand. The other was too busy plucking at the nipple I couldn’t get to.

  I needed two mouths to take in all I wanted from her. Greed sliced at me, making me rough. The bra fell away, and my beard left red slashes across her water-soft skin.

  When I backed off to let her get her bearings, she growled, “Is that all you’ve got, Thor?”

  No bearings needed here.

  I tossed the bra aside and cupped her breasts, staring up at her as I scraped my teeth over her silky skin to suck one of the tips into my mouth. I sucked strongly enough to feel my own heartbeat roar in my ears.

  Her head fell back as she sunk her nails into my biceps. “More.”

  “Like this.” I twirled my tongue around one nipple, then the other until the soft pink bloomed a deep red.

  “I don’t want soft kisses,” she panted, fisting my hair to drag my mouth to hers. The kiss was close to violent with need. I tasted blood on my tongue. “Make me feel anything other than sad and mad.”

  A pang of something I didn’t want to identify hit me sideways. Was she just using me? Did I care?

  I hated that I was pretty sure I did.

  But this was about her right now. And I’d be whatever she needed.

  I tugged her off the air mattress into the slim space along the side of the truck bed. I turned her around until her back was flush with my front then nudged her braid to the side. “Like this?” I scored the column of her neck, my tongue sliding over her racing pulse.

  I bit into the soft skin between her shoulder and her neck. The tendons of muscle vibrated like a guitar string under my teeth. I covered her breasts with my big hands, alternating softly cupping them with merciless pulls on each nipple.

  Moving up to her ear, I sucked the lobe into my mouth, flicking my tongue along the sensitive skin there. She shook in my arms. “Think I can make you come with just this?” I plucked and rolled the tight little points of her breasts.

  Her ass ground against the front of my jeans. “Can I make you come with just my ass against your co
ck?”

  I groaned into her ear. It could happen. I hadn’t come in my damn pants since I was a boy. But if anyone could drag me over the edge without an actual touch, it would be Ruby.

  Her hand came up to grip my shoulder, then slid into my hair along the nape of my neck. She pulled me closer, turning her head to catch my lips in a wild kiss. She hummed her appreciation as I continued my torture. I wanted to slip my fingers down into those leggings of hers, but now I’d thrown down the challenge.

  Soft and hard, rough and gentle, I changed up the combinations so fast she could do nothing but roll her head along my chest. I locked myself down, finding the strength to give her what she needed. She shook and writhed against me. I dipped my mouth to her shoulder with a tender kiss then a bite and she finally bucked against me with a keening cry of my name.

  “I need—” I couldn’t even form the words, but I had to know what I’d done to her.

  My hand dove into her leggings, bypassing nylon and finally, a cotton barrier. She was so slick and hot. I pushed two fingers into her drenched pussy. She sucked me so deep I was willing to meet my maker just to have her once.

  She pulled my hair again, arching her back so the last rays of sunshine gilded her skin as she rode my hand. I turned her toward the mattress and knelt behind her, dragging the layers of offending fabric away to get to her.

  I pushed her down and she gave a startled yelp and went onto her knees. I pushed them apart and dove my tongue into her salty slit. She gripped the sleeping bags, her whole body thrumming like a bass guitar.

  She pushed back against me, riding my mouth with pure abandon. A litany of inventive swear words colored the air just before her leg started to shake.

  “Yes,” I said against her wet inner thigh. “Yes, just like that.” I went back for more. Her shoulder crashed into the mattress as she shook around me. “Ruby, let me inside.”

  She cried out for my death.

  “Tish,” I said against her thigh, then bit down on one cheek. I couldn’t resist. “I need to be inside you.”

  “Yes, dammit.”

  With shaking fingers, I wrestled my wallet out of my pocket and prayed for a condom. It had been awhile since I’d taken the time to look for a willing partner.

  But there was the foiled packet, hiding behind a credit card.

  “Hurry,” she said and fell onto her forearms, arching her back like a cat.

  “Christ.” Her endless legs and perfect ass were lifted for me. Waiting for me to dive in there. I was so keyed up I was afraid I’d split her in half.

  I leaned forward to drive my tongue inside of her one more time before easing back. I gripped her hip with one hand and stroked the tip of my cock through her swollen lips. The air had become crisper now that the sun was sliding away, but it didn’t matter.

  I eased into her, growling at how she stretched for me.

  Watching my cock disappear into her perfect pussy about killed me. Then she took the reins once more and shoved herself backward on my dick.

  I threw my head back at the way she clamped down on me then the ripple of pleasure was dented by her voice.

  “Move, damn you.”

  I grabbed onto her hips and slammed home again and again. She took each stroke and demanded more of me each time. I swore my brain was going to leak out of my damn ears, but still, I held on.

  I reached around and circled her clit, knowing I was far too close to the edge. She covered my fingers with her own, both of us slip-sliding around her engorged clit.

  She panted out my name, then God’s, then back to me. “I won’t break, dammit. Stop holding back.”

  I wasn’t.

  Was I?

  God, she felt so fucking good. But she was right. I wanted to mark, to slam into her until my brain settled and reset. It had been chaos since the day I’d met her, and now I was even more tangled up over her.

  I kissed a pattern of freckles between her shoulder blades, then drove into her with every bit of frustration and lust that had been hammering at me for the last month.

  My fingers dug into her ass and her hips and her scream echoed in the cove of trees. My knees locked as the rush of fire licked down my spine. White-hot bliss fuzzed at the corners of my vision then a cavern of darkness descended, turning into a freefall that finally, finally settled into peace.

  Twelve

  I had a redwood tree laying on me, and I couldn’t complain in the least.

  My cheek was pressed into the green sleeping bag, and all my muscles felt like liquid gold. Maybe that really was exactly what I’d needed. Except one thing.

  “I’m still hungry.”

  He grunted out a garbled hum.

  “You gotta get off me so I can get food.”

  Another grunt.

  I lifted my head…well, kind of. More like barely two inches since he literally had me pinned like we were on in one of those cheesy wrestling shows. He’d thrown a leg over me, as well as one of those superiorly muscled arms.

  “Later.”

  I wiggled. Muscles I hadn’t used in too many months to count screamed, but eventually, I managed to get free from under his arm. “If you don’t want my knee in your balls, move your leg.”

  He sighed. “Evidently, you don’t know the meaning of the word afterglow.”

  “My glow was delightful, and now I’m starving.”

  He flipped to his back. “Fine. You could feed me some grapes, I suppose.”

  I sat up. “With or without the palm fronds?”

  He yawned hugely, all satisfied lion with his curly hair. “It’s chilly enough. You can skip those.”

  I pounded my fist on his thigh.

  He jumped, then rolled onto his side to massage his muscle. “You’re pretty mean for someone who just had at least two good orgasms.”

  It was three, but I wouldn’t swell his head. I lifted my arms over my head to stretch out my back muscles.

  He reached over and ran his hand down my back. “You mark so easy.”

  I looked over my shoulder. “Curse of a redhead. Don’t sweat it, Thor. I got exactly what I needed.”

  His hand dropped away. “Glad I could be of assistance.” His voice was flat.

  Man, he sure was touchy. I leaned back and nipped his chin. “Pretty sure it was a mutual thing.”

  “It could be more mutual.” He grinned down at me, then brushed his nose along mine. “That was just round one.”

  Another round would put me in traction. I mean, I would give it a go, but I needed a minute.

  Or seven.

  I looked around for my clothes, but the only things near me were my tights, underwear, and leggings, which were still trapped around my ankles. I was pretty sure most of that was ripped.

  Dammit, Thor.

  I reached down to roll off the mess then stood up totally naked.

  “Jesus.”

  I flipped my destroyed braid over my shoulder to look down at him. “You just fucked the holy hell out of me. There’s nothing here you haven’t seen.”

  His green eyes were lit with some serious round two ideas. His gaze tracked me from the top of my head to the tips of my black toenails.

  I held up a finger. For a second, I almost said screw it to the cold sandwich waiting for me, but then my stomach growled. “Hold that thought. I require sustenance.”

  And I sincerely hoped we were as private as it seemed. Knowing my luck, some fourteen-year-old boy on vacation with his family was watching me from some campsite.

  Lucky lifted his hips and hiked up his jeans, so I took a moment to enjoy the whole long, muscular line of him. I hadn’t really gotten a chance to see the goods.

  Now I could ogle—I mean, appreciate—them at my leisure.

  He rolled off the surprisingly firm air mattress to stand beside me, then gripped my ass with one of those bear paws of his.

  I stumbled into him, then pushed back. “Food.”

  He gave me a hot look, his gaze stalling on my lips. Personally, I couldn’
t believe he chose my mouth as his focus since I was buck naked. “Before someone sees you, let me go get your stuff.” He released me to hop to the ground. “Be right back.”

  Since the idea of clambering off the truck naked wasn’t in my top ten list, I didn’t argue. And I needed a second to catch my breath.

  Less than a minute later, his arm came through the window holding his dress shirt. “Not exactly a sleep shirt, but it will do.”

  I bit my lip. Did I really want to be wrapped up in his scent? Bad enough that I’d done the naked tango with him. But it was fucking cold.

  Snatching the shirt, I did up a few buttons before I pulled it over my head.

  I wasn’t a small girl. I usually had to do some serious shopping to find things that were long enough.

  This shirt was a damn dress on me.

  The material was soft and warm, and that odd soap scent of his dented the chilly air now that the sun was just about set. He popped up next to the truck, dumping the soft-sided cooler at my feet and his bag along the top of the flatbed.

  I crouched to open it and stuffed a few grapes in my mouth before opening the to go container. The turkey club had seen better days, but I was too hungry to care. I found my lemon water bottle under some trail mix and brought the trio back over to the air mattress.

  My freaking toes were frozen.

  I slipped into the sleeping bag setup he had going on and for the first time in my life, I didn’t care about crumbs in bed.

  The first bite of semi-dry sandwich made me moan. Without shame, I washed it down with water like a scavenging raccoon. I watched Lucky stake lights—were those Tiki torches?—into the ground. Instead of lighting them, he shoved one of his big fingers into the center and a LED light flickered on.

  “Not so much for bugs, huh?”

  He lit three more around each side of the truck. “It’s been pretty dry. Safer to go with battery lights than starting a fire.”

  Surprised that he was so thoughtful, I couldn’t even make a quippy reply. The truck bed bounced a little as he put a knee on the tailgate and climbed on. He flicked his boots off at the end and snapped the tailgate closed before climbing up the bed to me.