by Maya Banks
She was too soft in places she shouldn’t be. Her boobs weren’t perky. They weren’t sagging yet, thank God, but they weren’t the kind you could bounce a quarter off. Her abdomen was squishy because she didn’t exercise enough and she enjoyed her sugar. At least her hips weren’t big, not that it was much in the way of reassurance. She wasn’t huge or anything, but she wasn’t one of the super slim women or the curvy ones who looked lush and beautiful. She was just sort of in between and . . . blah.
“Give a mint to know what you’re thinking right now,” Steele muttered.
“I’m blah,” she blurted out.
Then she closed her eyes. She needed better social skills. This was what happened when someone grew up in an isolated environment, shut off from most of the world, never having friends or interacting with other people. They became a blithering idiot the first time they tried to interact with another person on an intimate level.
“Blah?”
The incredulity in his voice soothed some of her frayed nerves.
“Yeah, blah. You’re gorgeous. I mean perfect. And I’m just blah. We don’t match up very well,” she said in a serious tone. “Gorgeous male specimens such as yourself do not have sex with blah women. They don’t have to. They can have sex with gorgeous female specimens, so why would they settle for blah?”
His lips flapped up and down a moment and he looked so exasperated that she felt sure his next move would be to start pulling at his hair. “You’re shitting me, right?”
She shook her head solemnly.
“You’re an idiot,” he muttered.
“You don’t call a woman an idiot if you have any plans to have sex with her,” Maren retorted.
“You’re an idiot,” he said calmly.
She had nothing to say to that.
He gestured down. “Look at this. Do you think I get this hard for ‘blah’? That I’m so horny and desperate that I’ll fuck anything with a pussy? Jesus Christ, woman, I’m a goddamn walking hard-on around you. Haven’t you ever noticed?”
“N-no,” she stammered out.
“You’re an idiot,” he repeated.
She frowned. “Okay, I’m really not liking that word.”
He sighed. “Okay, you’re clueless then. Completely and utterly clueless.”
She probably couldn’t argue that point because well, it was true. She’d had no idea that he was remotely attracted to her. It still stunned her.
She licked her lips and cleared her throat. “So let me get this straight so we’re on the same page. We have sex tonight. You leave at eight. And we never speak again and pretend this never happened. Do I have it right?”
“Didn’t say we’d never speak again,” he rumbled.
“Yes, because we spoke so much before,” she said sarcastically.
“I want you out from under my skin.”
Well, okay then. That was that. She wasn’t sure how she felt about being used as an exorcism of herself, but sex with Steele wasn’t something she was going to pass up. It wasn’t like opportunities cropped up for her in Bumfuck, Costa Rica. And she damn sure wasn’t going to admit how long it had been since she’d had sex. Better to let him think he’d been the one to go longer without it.
“Whatever works for you,” she said with a sigh.
She started to undo her pants, but Steele put his hand out and wrapped his fingers gently around her wrist.
“No, let me. My fantasy. We’re doing it my way.”
She wanted to say, Hey, what about my fantasy, but this was definitely her fantasy too, so he could have at it. And the idea that she was his fantasy . . . Whoa. Heady stuff. She could live with that. She liked it a whole lot.
He bent over the bed and pressed her backward until she was flat on the mattress. Then he unfastened the fly of her jeans and began to peel the pants down over her hips.
Nerves bubbled in her belly and chill bumps raced over her exposed skin. This was nerve racking. He was naked, and she was okay with that. Definitely. But the idea of her being naked? Of being utterly exposed to him? Of having him see her without clothes? Ugh.
“Relax,” he murmured as he pulled the pants free of her legs.
“Easy for you to say.”
He leaned down and kissed her belly and the flutters increased, rising into her throat. He made what should have been something so simple incredibly sexy. Just a kiss. His lips barely brushed over her skin, but it was the most erotic gesture she’d ever experienced.
“This is nice,” he said against her belly. “But I want that mouth and that pussy. They have to be sweet. I’ve dreamed about it. Wondered what you’d taste like. What you’d feel like underneath me. How it would feel when I got my dick inside that sweet pussy.”
Wow. He’d dreamed about her. She really was under his skin. She kind of liked that even if he didn’t.
He pushed up her shirt, rolling it up over her head, and then he gently raised her arms so he could tug the shirt free. After he tossed it aside, he settled his body over hers, warm and hard.
Suddenly she didn’t mind her squishy body because it accommodated him in all the right places. He felt nice. No, not nice. He felt awesome. If he’d dreamed about her, she’d most definitely had a few X-rated fantasies about him.
“Give me your mouth,” he whispered.
Though his mouth hovered just over hers, his breath warm on her chin, he waited for her to offer her lips. Sucking in a quick breath, she raised her head so that her mouth touched his.
If he’d been patient and slow to that moment, it all fled the moment their lips met.
She sucked in his breath. He sucked in hers. Their tongues clashed, rolling hot and wet. He tasted faintly of mint, and she wondered if he’d done a quick cleanup before she’d arrived back at the cottage. For that matter, he smelled awesome. Clean. Not of dirt and blood and whatever else he encountered on his missions. Obviously he had made use of her shower.
He pulled back, his chest heaving, his eyes glittering down at her. He brushed his hand over her cheek, pushing back her hair, sliding his fingers up and over her ear.
“I was right. That mouth is sweet. Can’t wait to taste the rest of you.”
She shivered uncontrollably. “I want to taste you too.”
He smiled then. An honest-to-goodness full-on teeth-flashing smile. It startled her that his entire face transformed so quickly. He went from brooding, intense, to someone she’d never seen. Relaxed. Warm. Sexy as hell.
“Holy shit,” she whispered.
His eyebrow went up in question.
“Your smile,” she explained. “I’ve never seen you smile like that. I don’t think I’ve seen you smile at all.”
He grimaced, and she regretted her words because she lost the smile.
“Usually not a lot to smile about when we see each other.”
This was true enough, since the only time he saw her was when he or a team member was injured.
“And you’ll get that chance to taste me,” he said, a wicked gleam in his eye.
She put her hand on those muscled shoulders and rolled her fingers over his skin, down to his collarbone and then back up again, lazily tracing a path.
“You’re a really beautiful man,” she said in a breathy voice.
“You’re nuts. Cute but nuts.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Cute is usually a code word when people don’t want to say something that could be considered an insult.”
“I believe we’ve already covered your hotness factor. No insults, veiled or otherwise, from me. I’ve got you in bed. I’m good for at least a year on the fulfilled fantasies list.”
“You know, I really like what you say now that you’re actually talking to me.”
He grinned again, and it sent a thrill all the way to her belly. Lord, but this man was to-die-for sexy. And he was naked. On top of her. Saying sweet things and giving her compliments. Looking at her like she was the sexiest woman on earth. If this was a dream she was going to be one super-pissed-o
ff woman when she woke up.
“If you don’t mind, I’m done talking for a while. I’ve got a lot of tasting to do.”
“Oh, not at all,” she breathed.
“But first, I’m going to get you completely naked so I can mark number two off my wish list.”
“What’s number one?”
He pinned her with his fierce gaze, his expression utterly serious.
“I’ll get to that one when I’m balls deep inside you.”
CHAPTER 5
MAREN held her breath when Steele thumbed her bra straps down her shoulders and began slowly peeling back the cups covering her breasts. He leaned to one side, propping himself on his elbow and turned her with him so he could reach behind her to unfasten the hooks.
Then he rolled her back and settled atop her once more.
“You have beautiful tits,” Steele said in a sandpapery voice. “Been dying to taste them.”
Her lips quirked up in a grin. “You seem to have a lot of fantasies involving tasting.”
He leaned down and she thought he would put his mouth on her nipple, but he kissed between her breasts and then brushed his lips down her midline. He adjusted himself so he lay between her splayed thighs, his chin just above the lace waistband of her panties.
“Been looking forward to this,” Steele whispered as he began to inch her underwear down her legs.
All her previous inhibitions and nervousness fled. This was a man who genuinely wanted her and had evidently fantasized about her on at least a semiregular basis. Who was she to argue with a man’s fantasies?
He tugged the panties from her ankles and they fluttered to the floor over his shoulder. He nudged her legs farther apart and then moved his body up hers until his mouth hovered enticingly over her mound.
With gentle fingers he parted her labia, exposing her clit and opening her to his avid gaze.
“Beautiful,” he murmured.
Her breath caught in her throat as his head descended. She closed her eyes and gasped when his tongue stroked over her clitoris. It was a warm shock to her entire body. Her legs trembled and her belly tightened. She stirred restlessly underneath him as his hands smoothed over her hips, anchoring her further within his grasp.
He nuzzled and licked, pressing tender kisses over her most intimate flesh. Never would she have imagined Steele being such a patient, gentle lover. She would have placed odds on his being quick and forceful, and yet he seemed determined to take things exquisitely slow and bring them both maximum pleasure.
She was definitely okay with that. She was more than happy to lose a night’s sleep if it meant having Steele make love to her the entire time. She could always catch up after he and his team left.
The idea that it could be months before she saw him again left her with an achy hollow feeling, but she couldn’t focus on that now. Not when he was between her legs giving her the best oral sex of her entire life.
“You checking out on me, Maren?”
She blinked and looked down to see Steele’s head raised, his gaze boring into hers. She flushed. The very last thing she wanted him to think was that she wasn’t into this and he wasn’t satisfying her. Good grief, what woman in bed with him could ever think such a thing?
“No,” she said huskily. “Definitely not.”
“You with me then?”
“Oh yeah, I’m with you,” she breathed.
“Is what I’m doing feeling good? You have to tell me if I’m not doing it right. I want this to be good for you.”
Her heart melted at the tinge of uncertainty in his voice. She reached down and touched his cheek, letting her fingers run over his firm jawline.
“If you did it any better, I’d be in a pleasure-induced coma.”
Another smile flashed, and she realized she could fast become addicted to his smiles. They were so rare and yet in the space of an hour she’d been on the receiving end of multiple smiles from this hard-as-nails warrior. Did anyone else ever see these? Somehow she didn’t think they did, which made the fact that he was smiling for her even more precious.
“I want you out of your mind before I get inside you because I can’t guarantee how long I’m going to last when I get inside that sweet pussy of yours. Been fantasizing about it for too long.”
She let out a blissful sigh. “Oh, I’m with you, Steele. No worries there. I want you inside me every bit as much as you want to be there. Promise.”
Another grin flashed. “You been thinking about me too?”
Embarrassed heat scorched her cheeks. But if he could admit to his fantasies, she could definitely impart hers.
“Oh yeah. All the time.”
“Too bad we’re just getting around to this now.”
“I don’t know,” she mused. “You said you wanted me out of your system. If we’d done this before, we wouldn’t be doing it now, and right now I’m really glad it’s tonight.”
“Very good point. Let’s enjoy tonight then.”
She suppressed a sigh of unhappiness at the thought he wanted to have sex with her and be done. Not that she expected anything permanent. Steele wasn’t a permanent kind of guy. But it still stung that he wanted to exorcise her and never have anything to do with her after they had sex.
Oh well, carpe diem and all that jazz. Tonight would just have to fulfill any urges she had where he was concerned.
His tongue swept from her entrance up to her clit and then rolled teasingly, eliciting a gasp from her.
“You like that.”
His voice rumbled deeply from his chest, vibrating over her quivering flesh, sparking spasms of pleasure that coiled tautly through her midsection.
“Oh yeah, I like it a lot.”
He sucked gently with just the right amount of pressure. Her knees shook uncontrollably and her thighs went to jelly. He moved his hand down between her legs and tentatively slid one finger inside her while he continued to tongue her clit.
Her orgasm was rising, sharp, wildly out of control. She panted in an effort to stave it off. Not yet. She didn’t want it over so quickly. She wanted it to last. She wanted to savor every single minute of Steele in her bed, him touching and his mouth on her skin.
“Give me one, Maren. I want you to come in my mouth.”
She let out a moan even as she fought it.
“I want it to last,” she whispered. “I’ve dreamed about this too, Steele. I want it to last.”
A soft chuckle rumbled over her skin. “There’ll be more. I’m going to make you come many more times before I’m done with you.”
“Oh,” she breathed out. “In that case . . .”
“In my mouth,” he murmured.
He added a second finger, stretching her and softly caressing her slick passageway as his mouth continued his sensual journey, his tongue driving her to madness.
She arched upward, seeking more of his mouth, his fingers. So close. She teetered precariously, building, building.
“Steele.”
His name slipped out. A plea.
“Let go, Maren. God, you’re so beautiful. I wish you could see you the way I do right now. Flushed with pleasure. Your eyes glowing. Your skin pink. And you taste so unbelievably sweet.”
His words sent her right over the edge. Plunging hard and fast. The room blurred and spun dizzyingly around her. Her breaths were coming so hard and fast she was near to hyperventilating.
“Fucking amazing,” Steele growled from between her legs.
He licked and sucked, drinking deeply from her, until she was limp underneath him, completely sated. She lifted her hand as he rose over her and palmed his cheek as he came closer.
He turned his mouth in to her palm, pressing a kiss to the inside of her hand.
“Good?” he asked.
“Perfect.”
She could barely get the one word past her lips. She’d never felt so good in her life. She didn’t have the energy to move a single muscle. Thank goodness he seemed perfectly content to do all the moving for her.
He slid one hand between her legs, gently parting her thighs as he settled his big body over hers. He fumbled with the condom a minute with one hand while propping himself up off her with the other. Then he planted both hands on either side of her head and lowered his mouth to hers.
She sucked in a deep breath as his lips hovered temptingly over hers. She nudged her chin upward, impatient to have his mouth on hers.
She was rewarded when their tongues met in a heated clash. Hot, breathless. His tongue slid enticingly over hers, licking and sucking just as he positioned himself between her legs.
Her eyes widened when he started to push in. The head stretched her opening, sending streaks of pleasure winging through her limbs.
She knew he was big. She’d seen him. And she was dying to touch him. Wanted to know how he felt with her fingers wrapped around him. She wanted to know what he tasted like and she wanted to drive him crazy with her tongue, her lips, her mouth . . .
But nothing prepared her for the way he felt. Hot and hard inside her. Her body stretching to accommodate his width and length. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced.
“Don’t want to hurt you, Maren, but Jesus, you’re so tight.”
“It’s been a while for me,” she whispered, despite her earlier resolve not to let him know how long it had been since she’d had sex.
“Me too,” he whispered back. “Guess we’ll muddle through this together.”
She laughed. The idea of Steele muddling through sex was hilarious. The man was talented. If this was his idea of rusty, she couldn’t even imagine how he’d be practiced up. Her eyes were already rolling back in her head at the overwhelming pleasure she was experiencing.
She groaned when he pushed more forcefully into her. He expelled a long breath and she could see his teeth firmly set together. He was battling for control. It was evident in every line of his face.
Wanting to touch him, she let her hands glide up his muscled arms to his broad shoulders and then up to the thick column of his neck. He closed his eyes and moaned when she caressed him. He twitched inside her and drove deeper.