The Harder He Falls: 2 (So Inked) (19 page)

“Please, I don’t school little boys. What’s up with the graffiti on the gym?” For some reason it hadn’t stopped bothering her.

Quin blinked for a moment, clearly not following her line of thought anywhere near as fast. “Oh. On Arena Fitness?”

Nahm’s Dojo.

“Yeah,” she said instead. His memories weren’t hers.

“Just came in one morning and it was there. Some idiot spray-painted
Fuckers
next to the door. Took about six coats of paint to cover it up and you can still tell something was there before.”

“Who did it?”

“No idea. Dumb kids, gang tagging, could be anyone.”

“Jacob said you think someone named Greg did it?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Greg’s not the most levelheaded person, but it’s not really like him. Cops are working on it.”

“That sucks. This is going to be cold.” She squirted green soap onto a rag and wiped away excess ink and blood, taking a little joy in the sharp hiss that rattled his teeth.

“Dang, that’s going to look good.” He twisted his arm in her grasp.

“Will you hold still so I can finish? You’re going to get crap all over your clothes, weirdo.”

“Aw, thanks for caring, doll. What are you doing after this?”

“Food.”

“Want to go grab something?”

She did, but was it a good idea? They’d promised to see each other when they could, no expectations, but simply being together fostered a sense of relationship. And with relationships came more responsibility.

She needed to run by the house and check on Grandma. She felt as though she’d been neglecting her since the shop reopened and Quin came into her life. It didn’t matter that Grandma didn’t know Kellie hadn’t been around, she knew. And she felt like a crappy granddaughter. Still, what was an hour or two for herself, when she’d spend tonight sponge-bathing her only parental figure?

“Sure. Let me wrap up your arm.” She grabbed the bandages out of her drawer, irritated when she came up with the last one. “Hey, Mary, Sam needs to restock my drawers. I’m out of large bandages.”

“We’re out of them,” Mary replied.

“What?” She swiveled to face her co-owner.

“We had a long chat about it last night and I ordered some. Should be here in a day or two. I paid for two-day shipping.”

Kellie groaned. She hated having to spend a penny more than they had to. “You should have said something. We could have gone to a medical supply store and bought some instead of getting gouged by shipping costs.”

Mary pursed her lips and narrowed her gaze. “I made a decision. Sorry it wasn’t the one you wanted.”

Kellie ignored the cool apology. Sometimes she forgot how young Mary was. It wasn’t her fault she’d had to make a choice. It was done. There was no point in picking a fight over it.

“It’s cool. Next time let’s just go pick stuff up ourselves, okay?”

Mary relaxed. “Okay. Hey, Shin called the shop line and asked for you, but I told him you were with a client.”

Kellie groaned and ripped the bandage open with more force than was necessary. “Thanks. I have no idea what’s up with him lately.”

“He’s always had something shoved up his ass.” Mary dropped into the chair at her station and began shuffling papers.

“Who’s this Shin guy? Anyone I need to know about?” Quin asked.

Kellie rolled her eyes and pressed the bandage to Quin’s arm. The ointment held it in place while she ripped off lengths of medical tape and used that to secure it in place.

“There. Shin’s no one you need to be worried about. He’s my crazy neighbor and a general pain in the ass.” There was no contest between him and Shin. Now why did she get the damn fuzzies at the idea of Quin being jealous?

“So, food?” Quin folded his arms over his chest.

“Whatever you want.” She shrugged and started sanitizing her equipment, putting away her machine and clearing off the space.

She could see him lean toward her, felt the brush of his fingers across her shoulder as he swept bits of hair down her back. She shivered at his touch. This wasn’t a moment when she should be turned-on, but Quin was a sexy specimen of man, with the added bonus of being a rough fuck.

“Hey.” He tugged on a tendril of hair.

“What?”

“Don’t be pissy at me. I didn’t do anything.”

“Everything is your fault.”

He rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I’m going to order a pizza. Let’s go back to my place.”

“Is it always sex with you?” She shrugged his hand off and put some space between them.

“Actually, I need a hand with some drywall.”

“Hardy-har-har.”

“Cute. Pick up the pizza. It’ll be quicker. I’ll meet you at your place.”

Kellie parked behind Quin’s truck in the driveway and leaned against the door, phone in hand.

“Glad to hear we’ll be seeing you soon. Keep me updated, okay?” Kellie said.

Autumn chuckled into the phone. “Where are you in such a rush to be?”

“I have a night off. Sue me if I don’t want to spend it talking to you.”

“Whatever. You’re going to see that guy, aren’t you?”

Kellie smirked at her reflection in the rearview mirror. “Bye, Autumn.”

“Get laid!”

She clicked the end call button and killed the engine. Quin was standing in the doorway of the house waiting for her when she got out.

“What took you so long?” He hadn’t changed from his uniform gym t-shirt and shorts. Despite the completely lazy attire, it was all of that barely contained strength, the fine line of control he rode when they were together she focused on.

“Got held up at the shop.” Damn Shin had dropped in and she’d had to spend a few minutes getting rid of him. “Did you get the pizza?”

“Of course. I had to bribe you with something.”

Her footsteps echoed on the wooden planks. She was feeling…predatory. As if she wanted to hunt something, and she had her sights set on six and a half feet of man. He had one shoulder against the doorjamb, his right arm crossed over his chest, and he was looking at her with lust in his eyes.

She put a hand against his pectoral and, just like a guy, he flexed into her palm.

“Where’s the pizza?”

“I stuck it in the oven to keep it warm while I waited on you.”

She pushed him back into the house, following him across the threshold. “Good, it’ll keep for a little while, won’t it?”

He pushed the door too hard and it slammed shut. “Depends. What did you have in mind?”

She leaned in close. “I want you to go upstairs, get naked and lie on the bed.”

“And what are you going to do?” His cupped her elbows, but didn’t take over.

“I’m going to see what progress you’ve made downstairs, and if I think you’ve done a good job, I’m going to come upstairs, undress and treat you to a blowjob, then sex.”

He shifted from foot to foot, his erection brushing against her stomach. “You’re very persuasive.”

She pushed him back, avoiding his lips. “Are you going upstairs?”

Quin grinned and took a step back. “You need a whip.”

“You don’t want to give me ideas.” She planted her fists on her hips and waited.

Quin backed away until he was almost at the stairs. He paused, grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it off. Her gaze roved greedily over his flesh, appreciating the kind of dedication and work it took to keep a body in fighting shape.

“Don’t make me come get you,” he threatened.

He climbed the stairs with a bounce in his step, as he should. She didn’t care if he’d done any work on the house, but she needed something, some form of control when nothing was going right.

Her hand was on the banister the moment Quin’s ass disappeared from view. She wanted to jump his bones now, but drawing it out would be better. Still, she barely managed to make a quick tour of the first floor. She didn’t even make it back to the front stairs, choosing instead to try the side stairs she’d glimpsed during her tour. Unlike the front stairs, these were covered in new carpet. None of the boards squeaked or gave away her position in the house.

As she climbed the stairs, she tabbed her shorts open and pulled her shirt off. The stairs let out adjacent to the secondary entrance to the master bath. She stepped into the bathroom and shimmied out of her clothes.

She tiptoed to the door leading to the bedroom and peered around it. Quin sat in the middle of the bed, comforter and sheets pushed down to the footboard. He had a box in hand and was ripping it open. He tossed the pieces of cardboard onto the nightstand and carefully placed the—aha—box of condoms within easy reach. That completed, he reclined with his arms crossed under his head.

Kellie wasn’t given to acts of dominance, and she could not abide submissive men in a relationship. But there was something about having an extreme alpha type willingly do as she asked that made her giddy.

She bit her lip and pulled the door open. It squeaked on its hinges, ruining the surprise of appearing at the bedside, but the expression on Quin’s face when his head whipped around to look at her was more than worth it.

He sat up and patted the mattress. “Damn, it’s been too long since I saw you naked. Come here.”

Since she was feeling magnanimous, she sauntered to the bedside and paused. He was all muscle, with little to no fat on him, all hardness and power. The memory of that strength focused on her pleasure had her nipples tightening. His cock was hard, lying erect against his stomach.

His hand shot out and he grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her onto the bed. She yelped as she hit the mattress, her head landing on his chest.

“I said come here,” he growled all low and sultry.

She pushed up and glared at him, but the heat in her gaze was all lust. Quin followed her, tangled a hand in her hair and kissed her. His stubble rasped against her chin and cheek as he guided her head to tilt at the perfect angle. His other hand palmed her breast, lifting its heavy weight and pinching the nipple between his fingers.

“I’m not finished,” she protested.

Fire burned through her veins. Liquid want. She pushed him back to the mattress. He went down to his elbows, still watching her.

Watching was fine.

She leaned down and nuzzled the full testicles resting against his thighs. The muscles in his legs shuddered and he crossed his ankles.

“I’ve barely touched you.”

“I know,” he groaned.

She ran her thumb along the thick vein stretching the length of his penis.

“Fuck this. Come here.” Quin grabbed her leg and pulled her across the sheets.

“What are you—?”

“Straddle my face.”

She blinked at him. Did he mean what she thought he meant?

“Kellie.” His hold on her leg tightened.

She lifted her leg, and that was all the permission he needed. He hauled her over his chest, her knees bracketing his head. She grabbed handfuls of the sheet on either side of his hips and looked over her shoulder.

Quin had one arm circling her thigh, the other she felt brushing her bent leg. His gaze was focused on her. Their eyes locked and she watched his face and felt his fingers spreading her nether lips apart. Cool air kissed skin and she shivered. His eyes took on an evil glint and the next thing she felt was the lap of his tongue covering the length of her slit.

Her back arched and she panted as sensations lit up her nerve endings. She turned back to his neglected cock and licked it, root to tip. He tossed his legs out spread-eagle and speared her with his tongue. Her thighs clenched around his head and her hips moved against him.

Technique was beyond her. She fisted his cock and went down on him as far as she could, rubbing and massaging the velvety skin with her tongue and hands. As the head of his cock hit the back of her throat, Quin sucked on her clit and drove his fingers into her pussy. She moaned and tried to move, but he’d locked his arm around her.

Her head jerked up and down without finesse as the pressure continued. Her toes curled and knees tightened on either side of Quin’s head and she came, hard and sudden.

Kellie let him slip from her lips so she could gasp for much-needed air. Quin stroked her sides, back and thighs.

“Scoot down a little,” he said.

“Huh?” She levered up and glanced over her shoulders.

Quin arranged her legs on either side of his torso and reached for a condom, which he handed her.

“Just go with it, please?”

What man said “please” during sex? Caught off guard, she nodded and took the condom, sitting on his stomach to roll the latex over his stiff flesh. Instead of satisfying her, the orgasm had only made her want more. The fire in her veins hadn’t cooled, she needed everything he’d give her, and if that included some funky pretzel sex, so be it.

“What next?” she asked.

“Sit on my cock.”

“Sit on it? That’s not going to do much good.”

He smacked her ass barely hard enough to make it sting. “You know what I mean.”