“There’s something you should know,” Darla said as I punched the code into the lock on my front door.
I hesitated before opening the door, turned and pressed my back to it.
“Tell me everything I need to know.” I was only barely holding my desire under wraps. The very short drive back to my house had been an exercise in control as I forced myself not to speed. The last thing I needed was to get pulled over and have that make the tabloids the way I was sure my photo in the cafe already had. But I’d waited this long; I could wait a little longer if it meant hearing everything I needed to.
“I really like you, Blaze.”
I chuckled. “That’s good, because—”
“And I’m really attracted to you.”
“And I am—”
“My pact was different.”
That was news.
“The girls challenged me not to have sex with you.”
I tilted my head in question, but let her continue.
“Because that’s what I always do.”
She looked so distressed, I was worried she might cry.
“Do you remember the screening of your last movie? At the country club?”
I did. Specifically, I remembered trying to flirt with Darla, asking her out and having her reject me. I remembered that very well.
When I nodded, she continued. “I was trying to push you away. Just like the time before, at the ranch.”
“You told me you didn’t date celebrities,” I remembered. It hadn’t deterred me. If anything, it only made me more interested in her. It was yet another layer to a woman I already found fascinating.
“That was before I agreed to the pact,” Darla admitted. “Which I know is confusing, because why would I push you away before I made some stupid promise to my friends, right?”
I nodded numbly and crossed my arms, ready to hear whatever reason could possibly explain such a ridiculous situation.
She reached around the back of her head and pulled the elastic that was holding her hair back. Messy sandy blonde locks spilled around her shoulders, and she immediately started twisting and wrapping the hair around her fingers as she shifted from foot to foot. It was obviously a stress response for her, but for me, it was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen and I had to stop myself from reaching out and twisting my own fingers through her hair.
The vision of tugging her head to one side to expose that smooth, sexy neck was enough to make my cock thicken to the point of pain.
I cleared my throat and refocused on her as she continued speaking. “You need to know I don’t do relationships. At all. Ever.”
She’d said that before. It felt a little more pressing now. “What do you mean, you don’t do relationships?”
She released her hair from her hand and crossed her arms over her chest in a hug. “I prefer to stay unattached,” she said. “No relationships or commitments. That doesn’t mean I don’t have arrangements and friends, but I’ve always preferred no commitments and the freedom to choose what I want, when I want it.”
I let her words sink in, filtering through my own viewpoint. My parents had been married for almost fifty years. I’d only ever wanted the same thing out of life. A partner. Someone to share my life with. The good and the bad. Sure, when I’d been in my twenties, I felt exactly the same way she had, but I’d grown up.
Then again, people were different. It wasn’t right or wrong. It just was.
I pushed up from the wall and took a step toward her. She was too far away. “Darla? Are you attracted to me?”
She took a small step back, so I stopped.
“I am.”
It was growing increasingly difficult, but I somehow swallowed down my frustration because she obviously wasn’t done explaining things to me. Once more, I stepped back and leaned against the heavy wooden front door.
“So, my friends came up with this crazy idea that maybe if, like them, I tried to do things differently, I might…well…that it would be different. So they made me swear to the pact and go for it, which meant not going for it. Make sense?”
Not really. Still, I nodded.
“But I was so attracted to you,” she continued, “that I knew it would be impossible to not fall back to my old ways. So, after your housewarming party, I tried so hard to stay away from you. Because if I couldn’t see you, I wouldn’t want to take you to my bed and do all kinds of dirty things to you.”
My head spun with the possibilities of all the dirty things we could be doing together at that very moment if she wasn’t so concerned with this stupid pact.
“And then we started working together on the treatment program, and I couldn’t stay away from you, Blaze. Damn you, I just couldn’t. And the more I got to know you, the more I liked you and…” Darla brought her hands to her face and dropped her head.
I’d had enough.
I closed the distance between us, pulled her into my arms, and held her tight. I dropped my head to hers and inhaled her scent. She felt so fucking good in my arms, like she was meant to be there. The longer I held her, the more she relaxed, until her body was completely molded to mine. I never wanted to let her go. But if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to kiss her. And more than anything, that’s what I needed to do.
I shifted Darla in my arms enough that I could bring my head down to hers. “Can we stop talking about this now and just go with our instincts?”
She nodded.
With my hand still cupping her face, I brought my lips to hers and kissed her. When she sighed into my mouth, I deepened the kiss and let my free hand come up to hold the other side of her face. When the kiss was finally over, I pulled back and looked her in the eyes. “I’m not asking you to marry me, Darla. But dammit if I don’t want to take you to my bed right now and finally show you exactly how much I fucking like you.”
Her eyes flared with a desire that matched my own.
“Is there anything else you need to tell me?”
She shook her head.
“Good. Would you like me to take you to bed now?”
Her lips curled up into a wicked little smile that made my cock pulse with need. “More than anything.”
The words were hardly out of my mouth when Blaze bent over and scooped me easily into his arms. I shrieked a little with the surprise and laughed. “I can walk.”
“To hell, you can.” He reached around and opened the door, kicking it shut behind me before marching through the massive entryway of his house toward the staircase. “I’m not letting you get away this time, woman.”
My body vibrated at his caveman vibes, but a moment later, he paused and looked me dead in the eye.
“Unless you want to,” he said quickly. “If you don’t want to—”
I silenced him with a kiss that I hoped left no room for doubt. Just in case, I added, “I want to, Blaze. Very much.”
He growled in response and continued through the house.
My body reacted hard and fast to his masculine energy. I twisted my arms around his neck and nestled my lips against the tender skin beneath his ear, his skin hot against my mouth as I nipped, licked, and sucked, pulling more groans from him as he walked.
“I’m never going to make it to the bedroom if you keep that up.”
“I’m perfectly fine with that,” I murmured into his ear. “Your house is too big. It’s taking far too long to get there.”
Blaze stopped walking halfway up the staircase and, to my surprise, set me down on the hardwood landing.
“You’re right,” he said. “This house is ridiculous and it’s taking way too long.” He stepped down three steps. “Hold on.”
I barely had time to put my hands down before he pulled my running shoes off, tossing them down the stairs to the floor behind him. He grabbed the end of my leggings. “Lift,” he commanded and when I did as he instructed, lifting my bottom up off the floor, he tugged my leggings down and off my legs, tossing the garment behind him as well.
“Your house is huge.”
I realized the setup, the moment the words were out of my mouth, and wasn’t disappointed when he responded with, “You think the house is huge…”
“Is that right?” My eyes lowered, suddenly very impatient to see exactly what was bigger than his house.
“It is,” he said. “But you’re going to have to wait.”
Before I could object to waiting for anything, Blaze tugged my panties down and off my body and, without further hesitation, dove directly between my legs. He settled himself on the steps beneath me, pulled my legs up over his shoulders and…holy shit.
Bracing my hands on the hardwood was woefully inadequate, particularly when his tongue started to lick and lap and suck and… “Oh my God, Blaze. That feels…”
The rest of whatever I might have said dissolved into a groan because dammit, every little thing he was doing to me was absolutely perfect, and I wanted to enjoy every single moment.
His hands were clamped on my thighs, holding me in place as he continued his relentless and oh-so-amazing assault of my pussy with his tongue. “Blaze,” I moaned. “You’re going to make me come.”
He looked up briefly, a sly smile on his lips. “That is exactly the idea, muffin.”
“Did you just call me—oh!”
Once more my words were swallowed up by moans of ecstasy. Damn, this man was good at this. Maybe I’d been wrong to put him off for so long?
But there was no more time to think of anything except the curls of pleasure starting to unfurl deep within my belly, very quickly threatening to consume me.
“You are fucking delicious,” Blaze murmured before dragging his tongue up my seam to circle around my swollen clit. When he pressed his lips to me and sucked the engorged bud into his mouth, I couldn’t hold off any longer.
My climax hit in an explosion of colors and pulses of ecstasy that couldn’t be contained. I cried out, but Blaze didn’t release his grip on me. Instead, he pulled every ounce of pleasure from me until my arms gave out and I laid back on the landing in a boneless heap.
I had no idea how much time had passed before I opened my eyes to see him looking down from above me, a very satisfied grin on his face. While I watched, his tongue slipped from between his lips and slowly licked my juices from his mouth. “Absolutely fucking delicious.”
It was absolutely fucking amazing, was what it was. There was a throbbing between my legs, and my body demanded more. It demanded him. Still unable to form words, I crooked a finger and beckoned him toward me.
“Oh no.” He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
Disappointment fueled me. I sat up, propped up on my elbows. “You don’t think what?”
I was almost afraid for the answer, because despite how hard I’d just come, I needed so much more from him. More than anything, I wanted Blaze buried deep inside me. Now.
His grin was equal parts cocky, sexy, and infuriating because dammit if he didn’t know how badly I wanted him, and he was having way too much fun withholding exactly what it was I wanted.
“I don’t think I’m going to waste my first time with you on the fucking staircase, muffin.”
Before I could react, Blaze bent over, scooped me up, and, as if I weighed nothing at all, tossed me over his shoulder. One big hand clamped down on my ass cheek with a soft smack and gripped me as he resumed walking up the stairs.
“I said it before, and I’ll say it again,” Darla said, her voice muffled behind me. “I can walk, Blaze.”
I tightened my grip on her juicy ass, making her squeal. “And I said before, and I’ll say it again—I’m not going to let you get away from me.”
She giggled a little.
“Besides,” I continued. “I quite like the view I have right here.” I leaned over and pressed a kiss on her butt cheek.
Darla responded by wiggling her ass, which had the amazing effect of grinding her pussy into my shoulder. An involuntary moan slipped from her lips. I used my free hand to land a smack on the other cheek. “Settle down, muffin. I’ll make you come again and again. But we’re going to need to make it to the bed first.”
“Promises, promises,” she teased and wiggled again.
Damn. This woman was testing every bit of my self-control. After tasting her sweetness on my lips as I made her come completely undone, my cock was painfully hard. It was a miracle I could walk at all. The only thing that kept me going was the motivation to sink myself deep inside her.
She was one hundred percent right—the friggin’ house was too big, and it felt like an eternity before I finally kicked open the door and deposited Darla on the plush duvet. With her hair spread out behind her on the thick blankets, she looked like a goddess.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.”
“And you…are wearing entirely too many clothes.” Her eyes were dark with desire as she sat up and pulled her sports bra up and off her body, freeing her breasts.
My cock twitched at the glorious sight of her now completely naked.
“I take it back,” I said. “You are fucking phenomenal, woman.”
“Just you wait.” She laid back on her arms, pulled up her knees, and opened herself to me, and I damn near exploded on the spot. “And,” she continued, “you are still wearing far too many clothes.”
I didn’t need to be told again. Within seconds, I stripped naked from my yoga clothes and stood before her. I fisted my cock in one hand, needing a moment to settle down before joining her on the bed. It had been months since my breakup, and I hadn’t been with anyone since. Even if I had, the things Darla was making me feel without even touching me were downright sinful.
Slowly, I let my eyes travel up her body, taking in every inch of her until my gaze landed on her wide eyes. “Do you like what you see?”
Darla sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth, and I shuddered. “I think like is an understatement,” she said. “You’re pretty fucking phenomenal yourself, Blaze Barron.”
I watched as she let her hands travel over her body, caressing her curves until one hand cupped a breast, and the other slipped between her legs. She tugged and rolled a nipple between her own fingers, pulling a moan from deep inside her. The delectable sight was not only matched, but exceeded by the way she used her other hand to pinch her clit and press against her mound as she lifted her hips and ground into her own touch.
Fuck.
I could watch her pleasure herself all fucking day, but more than watching her, I wanted to join her. “Muffin.” My voice was low with warning. “If you don’t stop that, I’m not going to be able to hold back.”
“Then I guess you better join me.”
I didn’t need any more invitations. I pounced onto the bed, spread her legs and began my journey up her body, using my mouth to kiss, lick, and nip my way between her legs, where I once again quickly pulled out the need in her, this time stopping short before she could climax. I wanted her right on the edge. She moaned in frustration and tried to slip her hand between her legs, but I grabbed up both her arms and held them easily in one hand over her head.
“Oh, no you don’t.” I grinned and pressed a quick but hot kiss on her lips. “This time you’ll come when I’m ready for you to come.”
Her body vibrated beneath me, but she didn’t object. Not that I expected her to.
I resumed my attention on her, moving up her stomach, where I dipped my tongue briefly into her belly button, causing her to gasp and squirm before moving up to her perfect breasts. I dared not release her, so I only had one hand to squeeze, knead, and explore her round, soft globes. My mouth teased each of her nipples to hard peaks in turn while her chest rose and fell increasingly faster as her need grew.
“Blaze?”
My name was a question on her lips, and I was more than ready to answer.
“I’m going to let you go.” I looked into her eyes. They were clouded and hazy with desire. “Don’t move.”
She nodded her understanding. I kissed her again, harder this time, until her body lifted to press against mine. We were both panting and out of breath when I finally pulled away to grab a condom from my bedside drawer.
I’d no sooner sheathed myself and moved back to her when I saw Darla’s hand once again between her legs.
“Naughty girl.” I snatched her hand away. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”
“Fuck, Blaze. I’m so—”
“You’ll wait.”
She groaned. “You’re killing me.”
“Muffin, you have no fucking idea what you’re doing to me.”
As much as I wanted to make her wait for not listening to me, because dammit if her naughtiness didn’t bring out a completely different side of me, there was no more waiting. I needed to be inside her. Now.
I moved between her legs until my cock pressed against her entrance. Darla didn’t hesitate as she lifted her hips, and I plunged deep into her heat.
She gasped as I buried myself inside her.
I squeezed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath, willing myself to move slowly and allow her to adjust to my size. But Darla wasn’t having it. She wiggled her hips and squirmed beneath me as if she were desperate for more. My eyes opened and locked on hers. I answered her need by pulling out just a little before thrusting even deeper inside her.
“Fuck, yes.”
The words were little more than a whisper on her breath, but they were all I needed.
With one arm, I lifted myself for leverage and the absolutely erotic vantage point of watching Darla’s breasts bounce as I pounded into her sweet, soft pussy. It didn’t take long at all before I felt her come undone beneath me. She cried out her release, but I didn’t relent, allowing her orgasm to crest again, her cries even louder as finally, with one final thrust, I, too, shattered into a blinding orgasm.