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  “Spread your legs.”

  Her hand froze. She couldn’t do it. Not with the light on, not with him looking at her so directly.

  “Spread your legs,” he said again, his voice harsh. A command.

  If she resisted, what would he do? She wanted to find out. Wanted it desperately.

  She shook her head.

  His eyes narrowed. In anger? “Show me how much you want me.” No, not anger. His voice was as soft as a lover’s. “Show me how wet and swollen you are.”

  She wanted to. But more than that, she wanted him to force her to do it.

  She shook her head again. “Make me.”

  One corner of his mouth tilted up. He dropped a hand to his jeans and rubbed the thick bulge of his cock. “If you show me yours, I’ll show you mine.”

  His joke startled a laugh from her. He’d used that line when he’d been seven years old, wanting a look up her skirt, and it had worked like a charm. “That sounds fair.”

  She lifted her knees and spread them, just a few inches.

  “Wider.” He sounded threatening again. That harsh tone caused a little shiver.

  She moved her thighs a bit, then let them settle back where they’d been.

  He stepped to the edge of the bed, reached down, and grasped her knees. His hands were so big, he nearly circled her legs with his fingers. He pulled her knees apart while she lay there, gasping in surprise.

  Those rough hands skimmed up her inner thighs, then paused. What a tease. She opened her mouth to beg, but the look on his face stopped the words. His eyes were fixed to her sex, and he looked so…hungry.

  “Very…” He cleared his throat. “Very nice, Kate. All wet and red. Such pouty lips…”

  One hand edged closer, closer…she felt the brush of a blunt thumb on her clit, just a light stroke. A light, teasing, tormenting stroke.

  She squirmed on the bed, trying to get closer.

  He took his hands off of her completely. “Touch yourself.”

  Her fingers shook like crazy, but she reached low, between her legs. She closed her eyes, hiding from him as she rubbed slippery wetness over her clit. God, she’d come in a minute…from her own hand.

  She lifted her hand away. “It’s too much, Jake.”

  He grabbed her wrist, and she opened her eyes in surprise. But he simply lowered his head, pulled her hand up, and sucked her fingers into the heat of his mouth. His tongue swirled over her skin in hot raspy strokes.

  “Mmm.” The moan sent vibrations of need all the way down her trembling arm. “Now I need more of a taste.”

  He bent his head, nuzzling at her thighs, and she spread them as wide as she could. But he kissed the inside of her thigh, brushing his mouth over her leg. Nowhere near her sex.

  “Please, Jake.”

  His breath teased her, hot little pants against her clit. Deliberate, no doubt. “Please, what?”

  Her face burned. She couldn’t say it.

  He nipped at her thigh. “Tell me, Kate.”

  “You know.”

  “You can say it for me.” He licked her thigh—so close, damn him. “I want to make nasty words come out of that prissy little mouth of yours.”

  If it was what he wanted…She swallowed. “Make me come, Jake.”

  “How?”

  “With your mouth.”

  He chuckled against her thigh. “You can talk nastier than that.”

  “Go down on me.”

  “Hmm. That’s a little better.” He licked then—one long, hot swipe over her clit.

  She moaned and clutched at his head; he grabbed her hands and held them down beside her.

  “Ask again.”

  So he wanted her to beg? Easy enough. “Please, Jake.”

  “Please what?” Hot puffs of breath hit her aching flesh.

  He must be staring straight at her, in a way no one ever had before. Heat bloomed in her face. She wriggled her hips, trying to inch away, but he held her fast. “Please…please eat me.”

  He chuckled. “Good girl.” Then he licked, teased, and flicked his tongue against her. Tormenting her deliberately. She moaned and tried to move, tried to arch her back, but his chest was holding down her legs, his strong hands wrapped around her wrists.

  She could only lie there, moaning, pleading without words, while his tongue and mouth drove her higher—then moved away and left her on the brink.

  He stood, and his hands went to his waistband. “I can’t wait another minute, baby.”

  Baby. A casual endearment, one he’d probably use with any woman. But she was the woman he wanted now. And hearing the word made her heart beat faster in a way she knew was foolish.

  She couldn’t bring herself to care. All she wanted was that hard, strong body on top of her. Between her legs. “Don’t wait. Please don’t wait.”

  His gaze never left her as he kicked off his shoes, bent to yank off his socks. And she simply lay there, watching the light play over his muscled body as he pulled down his jeans and briefs.

  What a gorgeous man. Her gaze wandered from his spectacular chest down to his thick, long cock. Longer than she’d imagined, standing red and hard against his belly.

  And for tonight, all hers.

  Chapter Four

  He couldn’t believe he’d managed to wait this long to fuck her. She was incredibly sexy, hot and soft under his hands. In his wildest fantasies, he’d never imagined a woman as beautiful as Kate would let him touch her. Would lie naked in front of him and touch herself, just to please him. Would beg him to eat her.

  Would look at him like she wanted him with the same desperation he felt for her.

  Her hand, the hand he’d licked her juice from, stroked over one full breast, then reached out to him. “I want to touch you.”

  “Later.”

  She looked hurt, frowning, a crease between her brows.

  I’ll come the instant you touch me. Christ, that made him sound like a teenager. “If you touch me now, Kate…” What the hell could he say? “I’m about to go off like a rocket.”

  She smiled at that. A slow, inviting, sexy smile. “You’d better take me with you.”

  Hell, yes.

  Staring at her, he almost lost his balance when he kicked off his pants. His jacket, condoms in the pocket, seemed a mile away—clear across the bed. He didn’t trust himself to go over the bed, not with Kate lying there waiting for him. If he got too close, he’d fuck her bare. To feel her wet heat around his bare cock…

  Shit.

  He looked away from her and circled the bed. His jacket was half off the chair, and he groped in the pockets until he found the cardboard box.

  “Hurry, Jake.”

  God, she was begging again. Begging for him—and without him asking her to do it. Her shy, hesitant little pleas made him wild. Made him want to tie her up and make her plead some more. The iron posts of that headboard were just asking to have her wrists tied to them.

  Next time. Vanilla first. “I’m hurrying, baby.” He fumbled with the box, tore it open, and the condoms slipped through his trembling fingers. He caught one and let the others hit the floor. He only needed one for now.

  He ripped the foil packet open with his teeth. His hands shook so badly, it seemed like an age before he got the rubber rolled down over his cock.

  When he turned back toward the bed, she was stroking her breast again. As if she couldn’t wait for him. God knew he couldn’t wait another minute to get inside her.

  Her legs were still spread, wide and inviting. What a beautiful sight. With one trembling hand, he stroked from her knee up the soft skin of her inner thigh. When he reached her pussy, he teased her clit with his thumb.

  Soon.

  In just a second, he’d be inside all this luscious wet heat, inside this beautiful pussy. The most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

  Fuck. He’d be spouting poetry in a minute.

  Kate squirmed a little, her hips pulling away, then rising to meet his hand.

  Enough.


  “That’s enough,” she echoed, as if she’d read his mind.

  He knelt between her spread legs and leaned over her, bracing his weight on his arms. She reached out to him, welcoming him as he settled on top of her.

  After three long years, he was on top of a woman again.

  A woman who lay hot and panting beneath him.

  He wanted to remember this moment forever…remember how she felt, so warm and soft…how she looked, her green eyes inviting and eager.

  Her arms wrapped around his back—just the way he’d imagined.

  But he’d never imagined needing a woman quite this much. He’d never imagined a woman like Kate.

  He couldn’t wait another second. With one achingly swift thrust, he buried himself in her.

  And groaned, hard, against her neck. She felt so damned good. Hot and just…oh, the way she pushed her hips up at him, as if she wanted to take him even deeper.

  Nothing could have stopped him. He pulled out and plunged back into her, over and over again, pounding fiercely, desperately. The tip of his cock butted her womb with each downward stroke, but he couldn’t get deep enough. Kate met him thrust for thrust, moaning and gripping his shoulders. Her legs wrapped around his, holding him tight.

  He’d never last. Not with her panting in his ear, making little noises deep in her throat. Little female noises, tiny cries and moans, a sweet counterpoint to his own deep grunts and groans. Her lush, full breasts bounced against his chest. Even through the haze of lust, the almost total focus on his cock, he felt the hard points of her nipples rubbing through his chest hair. And her cunt gripped him so tightly…as tight as a fist…so much warmer and tighter than his fist…

  Fuck it. He’d get her off later.

  He let go, let go of what little control he had, driving into her again and again, groaning his need against her neck, biting the soft skin under his mouth. She gasped and twisted her head away. Must have hurt her. But her hands grabbed his ass and urged him on.

  Christ, she was hot. He lost all rhythm, thrusting mindlessly, climbing higher. So quickly…too quickly. His teeth clenched hard, trying…trying to hold back, trying to make this last.

  Suddenly she went still beneath him. Totally still. With a wordless little cry, she trembled and shook, her nails stinging his back. He lifted his head, saw her face twisted with pleasure, her teeth biting down on her lower lip.

  Thank God.

  He thrust deep, deeper…harder…and joined her, shaking as he came with raw, wrenching spasms, a joy so fierce it felt very close to pain. His teeth bit into the soft skin of her shoulder—a primitive need to brand the woman he’d just taken, to leave his mark on her body for all to see. He jerked with each pulsing beat of release, forcing his cock deeper into her even as the tension eased.

  With one last groan, he collapsed on top of her, drained and satisfied.

  Satisfied for now.

  For maybe five minutes. After that long stretch of celibacy, he could fuck her all night long. If she let him, he would.

  And the next time, he’d make her scream his name.

  After a few moments of panting against each other, struggling for breath, his heartbeat slowed to something close to normal. Kate’s fingers were weaving through his hair, gently caressing. Another thing he’d never imagined—a woman stroking him in the aftermath of passion. He’d never thought much beyond the point of release.

  He propped his head up on one hand and looked down at her face. She was a stunner—easily one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen, even with her lipstick kissed off. Especially with her lipstick kissed off. And the expression on her face…smiling and satisfied, a little bashful, kind of…tender. As if—

  Damn.

  She looked at him like he was some kind of prince. As if she’d forgotten that he was nothing but a thug. An ex-con.

  But someday she’d remember. She’d figure out just how fucked up he was, and she’d go looking for a better man. But when she finished slumming with him…he wouldn’t want to let her go.

  Shit.

  Best to get it over with now. To show her just how nasty he could be. That’d drive her away. She’d give him the boot for sure.

  And she’d never look at him like this again.

  She’d never been a particularly sentimental woman. But lying under the warm, sprawling, masculine weight of Jake’s body, feeling his cropped hair slip through her fingers, relishing the afterglow of another explosive orgasm…suddenly, inexplicably, she felt close to him.

  Probably just an illusion. She knew, intellectually, that physical intimacy and emotional intimacy were two completely different things. But looking up into those thoughtful brown eyes, she felt a rush of tenderness. He seemed just a little less bitter. Maybe sex had taken the edge off of his anger.

  She smiled and stroked his hair some more. “You should let it grow.”

  “I probably will. A little.”

  “You wore it long in high school.”

  “I need to look more clean cut now. I have to find a job.”

  At least he wanted to get a job. Too many ex-cons ended up back in prison. She’d help him find something, if he wanted her to.

  His brow furrowed. “I’m surprised you remember what my hair was like in high school.”

  “I remember a lot. You were very memorable.”

  He frowned. “I was a thug, Kate.”

  “Well, yes. That’s what made you memorable.”

  He gave a brief, hard laugh, quickly stifled. As if he didn’t want to think about those days. Who could blame him? High school hadn’t been the high point of her life, either.

  Before she could stop him, he pushed off of her. He grabbed a tissue from the box on her nightstand and threw away the condom, then settled beside her with a long sigh, not touching but close. She rolled to face him, snuggling her head on his shoulder. His biceps were massive and rock solid. She leaned closer, until her breast brushed his forearm.

  Simply pressing up against a warm man felt wonderful. A pleasure she’d been denied for too long.

  His huge hand settled on her hip. “Insatiable wench.”

  The smug satisfaction in his voice made her smile. She stroked across his hard jaw, feeling the faint scratchiness of evening whiskers. “Don’t you want to make up for lost time?”

  He turned his lips into her hand and dabbed her palm with his tongue. Her fingers twitched at the erotic caress. “Give me a couple of minutes, Kate. As soon as I catch my breath, I’ll get back to work.”

  She wrapped her arm around him and nuzzled her face against his chest, letting all that silky hair tickle her nose. “Two minutes?”

  Fingers wound in her hair until it grew almost painfully tight. He pulled her by her hair…pulled her face to his. She moved with him, but the sharp tug on her hair hurt. She frowned.

  His lips were fierce and rough, kissing her deeply. When he bit her lower lip, she cried out—in surprise more than pain.

  “No more vanilla.” He sounded harsher than he ever had before.

  “What…what do you have in mind?”

  “If I told you, it wouldn’t be as much fun.”

  His expression seemed to challenge her. Challenge her to what? To be kinky? To be wild? She’d wanted a dangerous man in her bed. She wasn’t about to back off now. “All right. Just promise not to—”

  When his eyes narrowed, she broke off. His anger made him more intimidating than ever. And an angry ex-convict wasn’t the kind of man she should have in her bed. Fantasy was one thing, but in reality she’d be stupid to put herself at his mercy.

  “I don’t like conditions.” His words were clipped, terse.

  She swallowed and forced herself to speak. “Just promise you won’t hurt me.”

  He moved like lightning, grasping her wrists in his hands and lifting them over her head. Before she knew what happened she was on her back, gasping under the heavy weight of his torso.

  His eyes seemed cold, his face as bitter as
ever. “No deal.”

  Suddenly he dropped his head and kissed her. She braced herself, but oh, he surprised her with a gentle, coaxing kiss, a soft brush of his lips, a light teasing lick on her upper lip. He caught her lip between his teeth, just hard enough to make her whimper. She trembled. Pulling away, moving in any direction, would make the pain worse. She stayed as still as she could, taking shallow breaths, waiting for him to let go.

  When his teeth finally released her lip, he pressed down hard on her hands, lifting himself just enough to see into her face. “You might like a little pain.”

  She might. Her heart hammered with fear, but the rest of her body hummed with arousal. He’d take her and do whatever he wanted to her…and she wouldn’t be responsible for any of it. He’d force pleasure on her. Pleasure…and a little pain.

  “All right.”

  His eyebrows lifted. “I’m not asking for your permission.”

  Her breath caught. Before she could think of a single word to say, he lifted off of her and sat on the edge of the bed. She heard the drawer of her nightstand open. What was he doing?

  She rolled toward him to see, but his broad back blocked her view. All she could see was his arm reaching into the drawer.

  He came out with matches, struck one, and lit the votive candle on the nightstand.

  With one hand, he brought the lit match to her face. “Blow it out.”

  Would have been easier for him to do it. But she obediently took a breath and blew out the match. He paused for a second…then he dropped the match onto her chest, right between her breasts.

  She jumped up, more from surprise than pain. “Why did you do that?”

  He didn’t look sorry at all. “Did it hurt?”

  She rubbed at the spot on her chest. No soreness at all. “Not really. But you could have burned me.”

  “But I didn’t.”

  He sounded nonchalant. Did he hate her so much that he wanted to burn her? She felt ridiculously close to tears. “But you could have.”

  He gathered her close, pulling her into his lap. “Hush, baby. I knew it wasn’t hot enough to burn you.”

  She let him rock her, feeling his heart beat under her cheek.