Betting the Moon: Cannon Pack, Book 4 (3 page)

He shook his head, then after a quick look asking for permission she didn’t bother to give, he yanked her bra down and pulled a breast free. She gasped, wondered if he’d torn her bra and found she didn’t care. Instead she arched, meeting him as he found her nipple. He would take what he wanted and she wouldn’t regret giving it to him.

Mari moaned and reached for his hand. Taking it, she pushed it between their bodies and placed his palm over the vee of her thong. Tucker worked his fingers underneath the lacy material.

“Oh, God. Yes.” Damn, he knew exactly what to do and how to touch her. She cried out, her clit pulsing with need.

Tucker ran a finger between her wet folds. Circling the tender button of flesh, he rubbed her, matching the rhythm with his tongue as he tortured her nipple. When he broke free, she cried out. “No. Don’t stop. Keep sucking.”

“Say my name.” His breath warmed her cheek, his intense gaze on hers. “I want to taste my name as you say it.”

“Tucker. Tuc—”

He muffled the sound, his mouth crushed to hers again. She clutched his shoulders, digging her nails into the material. Toned muscles worked under her fingers, and she imagined ripping the shirt from him to feel his granite-like chest under her palms and against her breasts. Another quick spell, this time on the buttons of his shirt, and she pushed aside the denim.

“Oh, my God.” His chest was a hard rock turned into tanned skin.

Keeping her to him, he carried her away from the wall and sat her down on the chair, then dropped to his knees in front of her.

“What if someone sees us? An employee, maybe.”

He tossed a look down the corridor, then shook his head. “Then they’d better watch or get the hell out because I don’t intend to stop until I damn well want to.” His wicked grin filled her with excitement. “I wouldn’t mind an audience.”

I need to stop him. Hell, I need to stop me.

He ran his palms down her legs, then skimmed them along her calves. The simple touch sent spirals of heat rushing through her. She parted her lips, the anticipation of what he might do next wiping away her concerns. She moaned, then reached for him as he pulled away, but he didn’t go far. Pushing her skirt to her waist, he shoved her legs apart, then tore the thong from her. She grasped the arms of the chair, her hands growing white with her grip. She held her breath as he leaned forward.

Tucker planted kisses over her belly then dipped his tongue inside her belly button. She squirmed, the coolness of the air conditioning on the wet spots he’d left fighting the heat between her legs. He seared her skin with his eyes, adding to the fire burning hotter inside her. Leaning forward, he tracked his tongue over her skin and tickled the crack of her pussy.

“Oh, wow.” She’d whispered, but the sound echoed in the quiet hallway.

Placing a finger to his lips to warn her to be silent, he gave her a wicked grin, then brought his head lower again, slipping his arms under her legs and bringing her to him. She held her breath, her heart racing.

He pulled her folds apart and blew. Her body trembled, not against the chill of the air, but in anticipation. “Please.”

“Do you want me to eat you?” His eyes flashed with hunger, his mouth parted, the pearly white of long eyeteeth peeking out over his lip.

A brief wonder at the length of his teeth flitted through her consciousness only to be swept aside by mind-numbing lust. She groaned and tried to force him closer.

He darted his tongue out to tickle the fleshy part of her. Pinpoints of desire shot out from her core. She inhaled, her body exploding under the sensations his touch gave her.

“Hmm, you already taste so good, and I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet. I’m not sure I can handle the sweetness of your clit.” His wicked grin turned her already topsy-turvy stomach to mush. “Do you taste as good as I think you will?”

She cleared her throat, her gaze fixed to his, and scooted lower on the chair. “Find out for yourself. Now stop teasing me and get busy.” She ground out the words, mangling the sounds.

Yanking her legs up and lifting her bottom higher, he dove in, latching his mouth to her pussy. She yelped, then threw her head back in ecstasy. He sucked, nibbled and tugged at her throbbing clit, keeping her folds open with his thumbs. Mari clutched her breasts and squeezed.

“Yes, yes!” she cried out, the blackness of orgasmic ecstasy closing in. She tensed and whipped her head to the side. Yet, just as she was about to explode, he stopped the delicious torture.

“No!” She lurched in the chair, reaching for Tucker as he pulled away from her. Amber mixed with the blue in his eyes. “Why the hell did you stop?”

Tucker licked his lips, then wiped his mouth. “Did you like that?”

She gritted her teeth against her frustration, sat up and grabbed a hunk of his hair, but he didn’t seem to mind the roughness. “What do you think?”

“Hey, don’t get upset, darlin’. I don’t plan on letting you go without for long.” His features hardened, thrilling her with excitement along with a spark of fear. “You’ll be mine soon enough.”

His?

For once in her life, she didn’t mind a man getting possessive. Not when the unfulfilled craving still churned inside her. “Tucker…”

He cocked his head to the side as if to question her. “Time’s getting short. Don’t you think we’d better get back in there?”

Mari’s mouth dropped open a second before the anger hit her. “You’ve got to be kid—”

His mouth was on her clit again, tugging, nipping, sucking until she couldn’t think, much less speak. He sucked on her, sliding his tongue around her clit, then down to dive inside her pussy. Sweat broke out along her forehead. She shuddered, readying for another, bigger climax.

Tucker clutched her breasts and sucked harder. Taking her aching clit between his teeth, he brought her sensitive nub inside his mouth with such force that she couldn’t help but let her cry ride along with the rush of her orgasm. She kicked out, her heels finding purchase on his shoulders.

Tucker held on to her until her shudders stopped, then broke away from her and sat back on his heels. Wiping the glistening wetness from his mouth, he buttoned his shirt, rose and stared down at her, a cocky expression on his face. “See you at the tables.”

Two days.

Mari bit her lower lip, noticed Jimmy Osala watching her and struggled to put on her game face. Not that it mattered now. Jimmy was out of the competition. Still, she didn’t like getting caught in an unguarded moment. She nodded a greeting to him, then walked to the other side of the room closest to the chair where she wanted to sit. Even seating was a strategic move at the championship table.

People crowded into the room along with hotel personnel and television crewmen to take seats in the spectator section overlooking the large oval table positioned under lights and cameras. Mari stood aside to let the workmen do their jobs. Unlike the elimination games of the previous days, the action during the finals would be broadcast around the world on various sports channels.

Two damn days.

Tucker hadn’t spoken to her since he’d left her high and not-so dry in the hallway two days earlier. After that, whenever she glanced his way—and she hated how he’d caught her every time she’d looked—he’d give her a cocky smile, then turn away. Hell, he’d even disappeared when she’d shown up at the hotel bar for a friendly round of drinks with the other players.

Forget about him.

She could imagine Tommy glaring at her, his weathered face filled with the wrinkles he’d gained through decades of traveling from one tournament to the next.

She could kick herself for letting anything happen while she was working. Much less an impromptu sexual romp with a competitor. Although she’d really hadn’t had a choice. Once Tucker touched her, she couldn’t have resisted him any more than she could’ve resisted betting on a royal flush. Worse, now that he’d given her a sample of what sex with him would be like, she couldn’t get him out of her head.

He didn’t matter. He was just another man.

How many times had she tried to convince herself that he was nothing special, only to fail miserably? But he was gone now, apparently beaten during his last game. She wished he would’ve stayed around, but if the last two days of avoiding her were any indication, he wasn’t about to show his face at the final game.

He doesn’t matter.

Maybe if she repeated the idea often enough it would stick and drive away all the other—and way sexier—thoughts of him. If she was going to win the championship she couldn’t afford any more stupid mistakes like the ones she’d made since they’d hooked up. She dipped her head, hiding her irritation as she remembered how she’d blown several solid hands because she’d been thinking about him. What was wrong with her? Did she want to lose her chance at the big win? Over a man?

Oh, but what a man!

She groaned and ran a hand through her hair.
He doesn’t matter.

She repeated the phrase and vowed not to let a sexual encounter cost her the championship. Not even a sexual encounter with someone as amazing as Tucker.

Tucker Manning could go screw himself.

A moment of determination filled her until her next thought swept it away.

Unless she could screw him first.

She groaned louder, catching the attention of a nearby cameraman.

“Are you okay, Ms. Thornton?”

She thanked him for his concern but waved away his help. Seeing that the game was about to start, she moved to her chair. Closing her eyes, she envisioned herself winning the final hand and thanking the cheering crowd. She could even see herself reaching for the large pile of prize money. She grinned. Nothing did wonders for a girl’s competitive juices like picturing a big fat payday.

“You must be thinking about me.”

Mari’s eyes flew open to find Tucker sitting across from her. The wave of desire coursing through her rocked her to her core, and if she hadn’t already been sitting down, she would’ve dropped to the floor. Damn, but the man was fine. The hunter-green shirt he wore worked well with his white hair and flashing eyes. Her focus dropped to the edge of the table as though she could see through the thick wood. Too late she realized what she’d done and jerked her gaze up only to meet his smug smile.

“What are you doing here, Tucker?”

He acted flabbergasted, but she sensed he was anything but surprised. “Where else would I be? I’m one of the finalists.”

“No you’re not. I checked the sheet. Your name wasn’t on it.” She blanched as soon as the words left her mouth and a moment before his shit-eating grin spread wider.

“Oh, yeah, that’s right. I heard you were looking for me. But you’re wrong. My name was on it. Some secretary made a mistake on the first list and they had to repost it. Caused quite a scandal for about a minute. I guess you missed the second posting, huh?”

“I wasn’t— Uh, I didn’t— Look for you, I mean.” Judging from the heat rising in her neck, she was sure her cheeks were as red as the fire engine she’d need to put out the flames his sexy smile had ignited inside her.

“Maybe
looking
isn’t the correct term.”

“That’s right. I wasn’t
looking
—”

“Maybe stalking is a better description.” The gleam in his eyes baited her.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Embarrassment mixed with irritation made her stomach knot while her heart did an uneven pitter-patter. The man was irritating, self-centered and smug—and she couldn’t wait to get him between her legs again, damn him.

Tucker leaned forward, put his elbows on the table and lowered his head to whisper, “Hey, don’t worry about it. I get groupies all the time. But I hope you know—” he gave her a wink, “—that what we did together was special. That you’re special. I’m just sorry we didn’t have more time.”

“Me? A groupie?” She couldn’t keep her voice from rising in pitch. “Are you out of your mind?”

The clamor around them quieted as everyone’s attention turned toward Mari. If she’d thought she was embarrassed before, she now understood what real humiliation felt like. She swallowed, then gave the crowd a little wave. “Please. Don’t mind me. Go on back to what you were doing.”

“That’s right, everyone. We’re having a little pregame chit-chat is all.” Tucker turned his bright-light grin on them before resting back in his chair.

Imagine. Calling her a groupie. He was nothing more than a foul-mouthed— Although his tongue was wonderful… Great big jerk— She wondered how big he really was…

Son of a bitch!

Mari opened her mouth, ready to spew a barrage of four-letter words at him but immediately shut it when the other players started taking their places. Instead, she fumed and shot dagger-eyes at Tucker, wishing she could kill with a look. Or at least maim him so he could never hold another hand of cards again.

Drawing on her resolve, she tossed her hair back from her shoulders and greeted each of her opponents. Barry “Sugar” Shankman, so named because he always had a pocket filled with sugar cubes for fast energy, tipped the rim of his baseball cap at her. Bob Maroni, a self-made millionaire whose quick wit made him an entertaining man in any situation, slapped Barry on the back and told him to quit “flirting with someone completely out of your league” even as he winked at her.