Relentless (8 page)

Tongue in cheek, she asked, “Is that a trick question?”

“You’re a sassy little thing, ain’t cha? I’m gonna have to teach you some manners.”

She threw her arms over her head, pressing her heel into his abdomen. “You’re welcome to try, but don’t be too disappointed if you don’t have a whole lotta luck.”

She was about to realize she had never met anyone as determined as he was.

He tugged her jeans over her hips and down her thighs to reveal a red satin thong that ratcheted the heat in the room up by a few degrees. “Damn…”

She smiled, as though she knew exactly what she was doing to him. “You gonna stand there staring at me all night?”

He grinned, lifting her foot to lick a path up the inside of her calf. Kneeling on the floor at the foot of the bed, he stoked her with a series of strategically placed kisses that ended with his tongue prodding the soft fabric between her legs.

She moaned, popping the clasp on the front of her bra.

He looked up, suppressing a groan. Everything about her was so damn enticing; he couldn’t decide where he wanted to start.

She crooked a finger, beckoning to him. “If you’re having trouble deciding, can I suggest you work your way down?”

He flashed a quick grin. Damn, she was going to be hard to tame. Good thing he loved a challenge. He eased up, bracing his weight on his forearms as he leaned over her. He’d planned to go in for the kiss, but he paused, looking into her eyes. “Damn,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers.

She brushed a strand of hair off his forehead. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”
Everything.
He, J.T. McCall, who’d rode some of the biggest, baddest bulls in the world, was scared stiff at what this little lady could do to him. He closed his eyes, trying to draw on the courage that prompted him to stare down death on a daily basis.

She kissed his neck, sliding her hands up and down his back. “It’s okay, hon. Take your time. We’ve got all night.”

Shit.
Now she thought he was suffering from performance anxiety? He was screwing this up in a big way. “Baby…” How could he tell her what he was feeling without scaring her off again? He couldn’t. He’d have to show her instead.

He nipped at her generous mouth before tracing the seam of her lips with his tongue. He finally dipped inside, trying unsuccessfully to rein in his hunger. Within seconds, she was under the influence of his kisses, moaning into his mouth, fisting his hair in her hands, wrapping her legs around his waist, as though she couldn’t get close enough.

It was the hottest, most intense kiss he’d ever shared with a woman. This went beyond foreplay. It felt like they were both fighting this overwhelming fear of being pulled into a vortex of uncertainty.

She finally pulled her mouth away, panting into his neck. “Now, please; I don’t wanna wait.”

He didn’t want to wait either, but he wanted to show her that he could be the kind of lover she deserved.

She grabbed his shoulders, looking him in the eye. “I mean it; I want you now.”

Powerless in the face of his own need, he reached into the drawer and pulled out the box of condoms he’d stashed there earlier.

She didn’t question why he had them, or whether he’d planned to use them with someone else.

He almost wished she had. He needed a sign that she was feeling what he was feeling, that she intended to take this beyond tonight.

After sheathing himself, he slid his finger between her legs. He wanted to stroke her, pleasure her, watch her come apart in his arms, but he was afraid if he took his time to delve into his fantasies right now, he’d embarrass himself.

His eyes connected with hers as he inched his way inside of her. He knew he was probably bigger than her other lovers, based on the reaction of many of the women he’d been with. She was so petite, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

Her eyes widened and he could see the fear and anxiety stealing her pleasure. He leaned in to kiss her again, easing her discomfort with the soft stroke of his tongue inside her mouth. He felt her relax as her tongue dueled with his, demanding more. He continued to stretch her until she was finally able to accommodate him.

She pulled his hair, moaning into his mouth.

“You okay, sugar?”

She squeezed her eyes shut, piercing his back with her nails. “Oh my God…”

“Hey, you need me to pull out?” It would kill him to withdraw now, but he would if she needed him to.

She shook her head, biting her bottom lip. “No, sorry, just give me a minute.”

He licked her neck, drawing the sensitive skin into his mouth as he tried to resist the urge to mark her. He hadn’t stamped a girl since high school, and only then because he had been too young to know better. His need to claim this woman, to let the world know that she belonged to him, defied reason. Maybe it was because he knew she was a rising star, and it was only a matter of time before men found out she was single and began making their move. He slid in and out gently when she finally started clenching him, trying to draw him deeper.

“God,” she whispered. “That feels amazing, J.T.”

He had always enjoyed giving a woman pleasure before he surrendered to his own release, but the one time he was desperate to impress, he didn’t think he’d be able to hang on long enough to give her what she needed. He clenched his teeth in frustration, trying to stave off the mounting need that was burning in his gut.

He reached between their bodies, stroking her, faster, harder, until he finally had the satisfaction of watching her plummet with his name on her lips. The sight and sound was so erotic, he had no choice but to give in to his body’s demands.

She smoothed a palm down his damp torso. “Wow, I can see why you’re a world champion, cowboy.”

He was angry with himself for not giving her more. She deserved the best of him and he hadn’t even come close. It unnerved him to think this might be his one and only chance and he may have blown it, literally. He rolled off the bed, muttering, “Gimme a sec. I’ll be right back.”

Chapter Six

Nikki frowned when she heard the spray of water pelting the tiles in the bathroom. She knew most guys weren’t big on cuddling afterwards, but she hadn’t expected him to cut and run as soon as the deed was done.

Mortified that she might have done something to prompt his hasty retreat, she made quick work of dressing, collected her belongings, and headed down to Brad’s room to bunk with him for the night. It was late, but she knew he wouldn’t mind the intrusion once she explained her situation. She couldn’t stay in her room in case J.T. came looking for her. Even worse, he might be glad to be rid of her, and she’d lay awake all night waiting for the phone to ring or a knock on the door that never came. She should never have told him they were next-door neighbors. Since his room was at the end of the hall, there was no doubt which room belonged to her.

To think she had been worried he would pursue her once they got back home. Ha. Apparently, she had given herself too much credit. He probably had buckle bunnies lining up, competing for the right to brag that they’d banged a world champion. They could knock themselves out fighting over him, ‘cause she’d had her fill of him.

She punched the elevator button, leaning her head against the wall as soon as the doors closed. She cursed the hot burn of tears behind her eyelids. She’d been a damn fool to give herself to a man like J.T. McCall. She should have known he was a pro at shoveling shit.

She stepped off the elevator, head down, as she walked past a boisterous couple commiserating over their losses at the casino. After knocking on Brad’s door, she leaned against the wall, waiting for him to open it. Fortunately, he was a light sleeper and she wouldn’t have to resort to calling him on the phone to rouse him.

Within a minute or two, he pulled the door open, standing just behind it. He was rubbing his eyes as he yawned. His hair was standing at odd angles, a rarity for the always perfectly groomed salon owner. She reached up to brush a kiss across his cheek as she walked past him. “Sorry to wake you, babe.”

He closed the door when she passed the threshold. “No problem, what’s up?”

“Mind if I crash here tonight?”

He frowned. “No, but what’s wrong with your room?”

She scowled, throwing herself down on the mattress next to Brad’s tousled double bed. “It’s next door to
his
.”

“You mean the hot cowboy? I thought you were excited about having him as your next-door neighbor?” He stretched out on his bed. Lying on his side, facing her with his head propped in his hand, he asked, “What happened to change your mind?”

She rolled onto her back with her forearm covering her eyes. “I’m such an idiot.”

“Hey, no you’re not. Why would you say that, hon?”

Nikki smiled, in spite of her foul mood. Brad was the ever-loyal friend, her brother from another mother, as he so often reminded her. “I went to his room to proposition him.”

He leaned forward, his mouth dropping open. “Shut the hell up. You did not.”

She covered her face with her hands, trying to hide her embarrassment. “I told you I’m an idiot.”

“So he shot you down?” He shook his head. “That’s hard to believe. I thought he was going to tear me apart earlier when he thought I was trying to get you drunk so I could take advantage of you.” He leaned into the pillow, laughing. “I told Ron the story. He laughed his ass off.”

She grimaced, pulling the pillow over her head. “So glad I could be the butt of your joke.”

“Come on, honey, don’t be like that.” He tossed a decorative cushion at her. “You know I love you.”

Peeking out from behind the pillow she was using to shield her face, she said, “I know you do.” She rolled over on her side, hugging the pillow against her body. “I slept with him.”

“Shut up,” he said, bolting upright. “When you told me you propositioned him, I thought he turned you down and that’s why you were so upset.”

“No, he went along for the ride.”

He frowned, eyeing her carefully. “What exactly does that mean?”

“He was probably just taking pity on me. He didn’t want to humiliate me by rejecting me, so he screwed me and…”

After a moment of silence, accompanied by a dramatic sigh, he asked, “And? Tell me already; I’ll be an old man by the time you finish this story.”

She covered her face with the pillow again, feeling like a coward, for the first time in a long time. She was used to tackling her problems head-on, not running away like a scared doe that’d spotted a hunter gunning for her. “He gave me this line about wanting me to be his. He said he didn’t want to share me with other men, ever.”

Brad shivered, grinning. “God, there’s nothing I love more than a sexy alpha man. And a world champion bull rider to boot. Hello. If he played for my team, I might have to say adios to Ron.”

Nikki rolled her eyes. Ron and Brad were perfect for one another, partners in business and life. There was no way he’d allow a sweet-talking cowboy to jeopardize what they had found together. “I don’t believe you for a minute. You love Ron too much to even consider being with anyone else.” Not that she wanted the kind of serious, committed relationship her best friend had, but she did have the odd pang of jealousy. He had someone to confide in, someone to support him, no matter what life threw at him. She wanted that someday, just not today.

He ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, trying to restore order to his trademark tresses. “Okay, tell me what happened and start from the beginning.”

“I went to his room with champagne and strawberries, hoping he’d be willing to help me celebrate.” She paused, wishing she didn’t have to relive every humiliating moment, but she knew her friend well enough to know he wasn’t going to let this go until he’d uncovered every juicy detail.

“And?”

“He started dictating ground rules.” She threw the decorative pillow against the wall, wishing she could take some of her frustration out on the heavy bag in Jake’s studio. “The arrogant jerk.”

Brad smirked at her show of temper. “What kind of ground rules?”