CHAPTER NINE

THE SETTING WAS PERFECT, outdoors yet in a private, dark, and secluded spot, under the starry sky. Derrick was perfect, handsome, sexy and willing. Kira couldn’t remember ever wanting a man more. And after much consideration, she’d decided she’d be a fool to let this opportunity pass her by.

It’s just the two of us. No one will know.

She’d likely be fired on Monday, so professional ethics wasn’t as much of an issue as she was making it out to be. But just in case, “You have to promise you will never tell anyone about this.”

He stopped moving to stare deeply into her eyes. “I promise, from the bottom of my heart, I will never tell anyone about this.”

So sincere, Kira’s heart gave a little twitch. There was something about him...something...special. No. She couldn’t let herself...feel. Sex. That’s all. Tonight only. Sex with Derrick Smith. A stranger she’d picked up in a bar. A man she could leave without looking back.

Done thinking, more than ready to get to the good stuff, Kira set out to show Derrick just how demanding she could be, using all of her strength to try to roll them over, so she could take control.

“Nuh-uh,” Derrick said, a large, heavy, immovable weight on top of her. “I’m in charge.” He kissed down the side of her neck.

“You see, that’s not going to work for me.” She struggled beneath him. “I like to be on top.”

“Tell me what you want,” he said, sliding down her body, setting a kiss on her clavicle before sliding lower. “What you need. I’ll take care of you.”

“I want to be on top.” He didn’t seem to hear, apparently too busy giving her left nipple some attention. He sucked it into his hot, wet mouth, hard. Wow! Tingles of pleasure shot inward, straight to her core. “After you’re done with that, I mean.” No need to rush. The man was a master, an absolute master.

“Tell me what you need,” he said seconds before he sucked her right nipple into his mouth. Her body actually spasmed it felt so good.

“On top,” she said, having a difficult time focusing on anything but the absolute wonderfulness of his mouth. “Need to be on top.” The only way she could achieve orgasm with a man.

“Why?” He slid further down her body, his tongue leaving a cool, wet trail leading to her belly button, then lower.

“I won’t come otherwise.” No reason to lie. She needed to come, needed release so bad she’d kill for it. Well...maybe not kill, but—

He reached the elastic waistband of her leggings. “Oh, you’re going to come.”

She appreciated his confidence, but—

“First from my tongue.” He sat up, inserted a finger into her waistband at each hip. “Lift up.”

In a move that was totally out of character, she did, without question, without argument.

“Good girl.” He started to pull down her leggings. “The second time, you’ll come while I’m pounding into you. Sneakers.”

She toed them off. “You’re a confident one, aren’t you?” Please God, if you’re listening, let him be telling the truth, let him have the skill to make his words a reality.

He yanked the stretchy black fabric and her underwear over her ankles, tossing them to the side. “After that,” he pushed her bare legs apart, crawled in between them and laid down on his stomach, “you can come any way you want.”

Then he was done talking, couldn’t talk if he’d wanted to, his mouth on her sex, feasting, devouring, ravenous. Fabulous. To say she’d never been on the receiving end of oral sex before would be a lie. But she’d never, ever, enjoyed it as much as she was enjoying it right then, the sensation unleashing a groan from the depths of her soul. It was too much. It wasn’t enough.

Kira bent her knees, lifted them, spread them even wider, giving him room. “That feels so good.” So very, very good. She rocked and twisted and pinched her own nipples. His tongue shot inside of her. “Yes.” She lunged up with her hips, needing to feel him deeper. “More.”

He lifted his mouth.

No!

“You have no idea how much I want to bury myself inside of you right now,” he said.

“Do it. Please. I’m ready.” So ready. Past ready. Lord help her. Begging. She was actually begging...and couldn’t quite muster the energy to care.

“Not yet.” He shoved a finger deep inside of her.

“Yes.”

He moved it in and out. Added another one, so good.

“More,” she said, her voice not sounding like her own. “You wanted me to tell you what I need. I need more.”

He gave it to her, setting his mouth on her again, even more aggressively than before, moving his head from side to side, licking, drawing her sensitized flesh into his mouth. Kira felt her orgasm starting to build. “Like that.” She pumped her hips. “Just like that.” She reached for his head, holding him where she needed him. “Don’t stop. Don’t stop.”

He didn’t stop, licking and sucking, plunging his fingers deep.

“I’m—” was all the warning Kira could manage before her mind shattered and her body blew apart and all she could do was let it happen, enjoy the exquisiteness, ride a wave of pleasure more forceful and intense than anything she’d ever experienced before.

If out of body experiences were a thing, than Kira had just had one, floating back to reality slowly, unhappily, not wanting to leave that place of absolute delight and contentment.

“Hey,” Derrick said quietly, his voice deep and quiet, and very close to her ear.

“Hey,” Kira replied, stretching, ready for a nap.

“Sorry, but if I don’t get inside of you soon I think I may suffer permanent damage.”

Kira smiled as much as she could manage with her facial muscles still all tingly. “Gotta warn you, I’m not feeling like much of an active participant at the moment. Feel free to go ahead and do your thing, though.”

“Bet I can have you actively participating in under three minutes.” He moved around beside her, probably taking off his pants.

Kira smiled big this time. “You even bet on sex?”

He climbed over her, the hair on his bare legs tickling her. “I’ll bet on anything as long as I know I’ll win.”

“Condom?”

“Always,” he said as he slowly lowered himself on top of her.

Once again, Kira bent her legs and spread them wide to make room for him. “What are the terms of the bet?”

He set the tip of his erection at her opening. “If I can’t get you actively participating in under three minutes...” He dipped inside. “Anything.” He pushed deeper, stretching her, filling her...so...good... “Anything you want that’s within my power to give.”

“Deal.” Either way she came out a winner. Kira wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding on as she rocked her pelvis, all the way up, all the way back in long, slow strokes until she took his full length.

Her vibrator got the job done. But damn, nothing compared to this. She flexed her internal muscles, gripping him tight.

He went still. “Don’t do that.”

“Why?” She did it again. “You don’t like it?”

“Too much. I like it too much.” He dropped his head to her shoulder and let out a breath. “I think we need to renegotiate the terms of our bet.”

She rocked against him, clamping down on him with her internal muscles as she did.

“You are an evil woman.” He pulled out and thrust back in.

“What are the new terms?”

“I can get you actively participating in three minutes only if I last for a whole three minutes.” He pulled out and thrust back in again, his body rigid, like he was barely holding on to control. “I’ll do better next time. Promise.”

Next time. Only if their next time took place tonight. Kira had accepted her fate when she’d taken on the responsibility for her mother. Rather than letting it make her sad, it made her determined. Determined to enjoy herself and to see that Derrick enjoyed himself, too, in the short amount of time they had together.

“Forget about the bet.” She planted her feet on the ground and started to move beneath him. “Go as fast or as slow as you want. I had my turn, this time it’s all about you.”

“Oh, thank God.” He thrust his hips, fast and hard. “You feel so good.” His breathing came out choppy. “It’s been so long.” He kissed her neck. “Feel so good. Damn.” He started to laugh. “I’m so far gone I’m repeating myself.”

Kira laughed too, couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed as much as she had tonight. If circumstances were different, she’d want to see more of him.

“You feel good, too.” He’d started rotating his hips, faster, deeper. Something wonderful flared inside of her and this time she let out a, “damn,” of her own. “What was that?”

“Found it,” he said, pounding that same spot over and over.

The North Star. It felt like the North Star was flaring to life inside of her.

They pulled back then slammed together again and again.

Derrick’s mouth found her ear, panting. “I can’t wait.”

“Don’t wait.”

“It’s too good.”

Amazingly good. “Come for me,” she said. “Show me how good.”

Three more thrusts, so hard they moved her up the comforter, and his body went stiff as he groaned out his release, thrust again, stiffened and groaned, again, then a third time.

That third time sent Kira over the edge with him.

Derrick Limone was a man of his word.

Thank God for that.

She came back to her senses when Derrick rolled off of her, the cool night air hitting her sweaty skin, making her shiver.

“Here.” He curled the comforter over them. Then he cuddled into her side, nuzzling in close to her ear. “Thank you. I needed that so much.” He wrapped his arms around her and slid his knee over her hips. “I needed you so much.”

He didn’t need her. He’d needed sex, same as she’d needed sex. “Glad to be of service.” Glad to be of service? What a moronic thing to say. Kira didn’t do cuddling or pillow talk, made her uncomfortable. She didn’t offer empty, sappy endearments simply because the moment seemed to call for them. They’d shared something special. But now they were done.

Only Derrick didn’t seem intent on moving any time soon.

Kira tried to relax and enjoy the feel of a satisfied male body partially wrapped around her, to appreciate this intimate contact with another human being, but to what end? Tomorrow she’d be back to sleeping alone. She wasn’t going to ever see Derrick again. Best to pull away now, to not get attached or start thinking about things that could never be.

She tried to roll away.

“Not yet,” he said, holding her close.

“I need to use the bathroom.” True, but not an emergency.

“What are your dreams for the future?” he asked.

“Dreaming is a waste of time.” They never came true, so why bother?

“So cynical,” he said sleepily. “Do you ever plan on getting married or having children?”

“No.” She had enough to deal with. And what man would want to take on her and her mom?

“Too bad,” he said, matter-of-factly. “Because you’re perfect for me.”

Time to go. “No.” She fought her way out of his hold. “I’m not. Where are my pants?” She looked around the shadowed grass.

“I want to see you again.” He sat up, calm as can be.

“No.” Spotting a dark blob, she prayed was not a skunk, she reached for it. “You don’t.” Pants in hand, she stood and put them on.

“Yes, I do.” Still on his back, he slid into his pants.

Kira found her bra and shirt. “Well we can’t.”

“Why?”

Because he didn’t live in the city. Because she didn’t have the time or energy to put into a relationship that wouldn’t last anyway. Because of her mother, it always came down to Mom. “Don’t do this, Derrick.” Now fully dressed, she bent to pick up her sneakers. “I had a fun night. Thank you for that. But tomorrow you’re going to drive me home and drop me off. Then you’ll go back to your life and I’ll go back mine.” That’s the way it had to be. Without waiting for him to respond, Kira walked to the back porch, up the stairs, and into the house.