After the Hurt (18 page)

Pepper's husky laugh and firm grip on him, drew his orgasm out a few more beats and then he was spent. A rush of air exploded from him just as the last beats of the drum crashed through the restaurant.

They fell out of the taxi into the frigid air, laughing their heads off. So far it had been the best night and she hoped it would get a whole lot better. Their warm breaths puffed in clouds as she scrambled behind him across the sidewalk. He had her hand firmly gripped in his as he pulled her through the front doors into Octagon. It was cacophony inside. The dueling pianos in the other room had the crowd in a frenzy.

“Check it out,” Tank shouted and led her to the doorway. It was even louder in the piano bar. “Just like Vegas.”

“I know.” She could barely hear herself over the din. “Come on, why not join in?”

They searched for seats, not bothering to try to talk. There was no use. The crowd was in a wild party mood. They tucked themselves into a corner and stood by the window and watched the different groups competing. The pianists were good. Just as good as the two who'd played in Vegas. And the crowd was in a similar state of excitement, hooting and singing at the top of their voices.

Tank had done a fantastic job re-creating the atmosphere. She turned to look at him. His attention was on the pianos and she let her gaze crawl over him. God, he was gorgeous, smart, handsome, sexy. He didn't even have to try; it just exuded from him. His stance, mannerisms, the way he held his head as he nodded to the tunes. His confidence was captivating and Pepper's heart beat double-time for him. She was still aroused, her body humming with excitement only he was able to garner. She shivered, thinking of what was to come.

He glanced at her. Time slowed down. She was sucked into his magnetism and when his mouth turned up on one side in a crooked grin, her belly fluttered. Pepper placed a palm on the wall to steady herself; her legs suddenly felt like spaghetti. He winked and that simple move was her undoing. It was all she could do to keep standing and not melt at his feet. Pepper leaned into him, rubbing on him lightly. If she were a cat, she'd be purring.

Pepper turned her face to him, then bent lower, anticipating a kiss. Instead he spoke into her ear, “What do you say we get out of here.”

It wasn't a question, it was a statement, and the tone of his voice told her all she needed to know. She smiled at him, and when Tank waggled his eyebrows, Pepper knew she was correct. He meant: upstairs. Now. In bed. She nodded and took his hand. They wove through the crush of people roaring out the words to “Sweet Caroline” when a prickle of alarm tingled down the back of her neck. It was the same peculiar sensation she'd had before and she felt like they were being watched.

Pepper glanced behind them as they passed through the doorway. Her gaze took in the bouncing crowd, laughing and drinking and having a great time. Nothing seemed amiss. No bad guys lurking in the corners or across the street. She paused, hoping the sea of people would part and let her see past the bodies to anyone hiding. Nothing, and Tank tugged her. Pepper shivered and shrugged it off. She was just imagining things, but she held on to Tank's hand a little tighter. She followed him through the restaurant and up the private stairs. But she couldn't shake the lingering feeling of unease.

“Hurry! What's taking you so long?” Pepper was bursting with impatience and she wanted to shed the pall that dropped over her downstairs. He was taking way too long to light the fire while she dimmed the lights and lit candles.

“Hold your horses, now. We want the right ambience, don't we?”

“Uh-uh.” Pepper wandered over to the sound system and chose the perfect tune from a playlist on his iPod. Sultry crooning sounds of Sinatra filled the room. The music crept into her soul and she swayed to it. Tank finished with the fire and stood. Pepper watched Tank watch her and she held her hands out, wiggling her fingers, hoping to encourage him to join her. He didn't mind dancing now and then, and she smiled when he accepted her invitation. His strong hand slid around to cup her bottom and pulled her roughly against him, his erection even and insistent next to her belly. Pepper tipped back her head and laughed.

I'm so happy!

He thrust a leg between her thighs and pulled her tight until their bodies fused from shoulder to knee. Pepper gripped his thigh between hers and they rocked their hips in time to the seductive music. She buried her face in his neck and inhaled his scent, her body moving in time with his as if they were an extension of each other.

Contentment swelled in her breast, a feeling she hadn't felt in so long. The immense pleasure of being wrapped up in him gave her sweet pleasure. Pepper wound her arms around his shoulders, splaying her fingers at the back of his neck. His nearness intoxicated her into a passion-hazed stupor. She pressed herself onto his muscled thigh and moaned into his neck as waves of yearning washed through her body. He sashayed her over to the fireplace and gently let her go.

“Wha–”

“Relax, devil woman. I need to stoke the fire.” Before stepping away from her he planted a kiss on her lips, a sensual, long, delightful one that got their tongues into play and promised of untold sexual delight.

She watched every move he made as he leaned over and tended the fire. Pepper swallowed, loving how perfectly his jeans showcased his to-die-for ass. Her fingers twitched and she had to touch him. She couldn't not. Pepper came up behind him and placed her palms on his solidly muscled ass cheeks. At last she was touching him. It had been far too long and her fingers hadn't forgotten how he felt. His muscles quivered a little, but it didn't deter her from sliding her hands over his hips and around to the front. She cupped him, cradling him through the jeans. Pepper leaned over his back and let out a long, contented sigh.

“You feel so good,” she murmured against the power of his back, “and I thought you already had a fire burning.”

He stood and turned quickly, catching her in his arms. “Did you ever doubt that?”

He loomed over her and caught her lips again; this time the kiss wasn't as gentle. She reveled in the explosive expression of his need and answered his urgency from a place deep inside her. Pepper lit up with a fiery passion that only Tank could ignite.

When he pushed her away lightly, Pepper was momentarily alarmed, wondering why he didn't hold her tighter.

“Go get comfortable while I get this going. There's wine in the refrigerator.” His chest expanded impressively as he drew in a deep breath. The room seemed to vibrate with his sheer, male power. His mere presence mesmerized Pepper. She filled with happiness, so thrilled to finally be here with him. Just the two of them.

Her heart pounded and her blood raced. It was the age-old mating game they were playing. The sexual tension, the buildup with intimacy and sex as the ultimate reward. But she didn't want just sex with him. She wanted to make love. She wanted so much more. A future together, the business. He was sending her all the signals. But a little niggling doubt was in the back of her mind. Oh, how she wanted to go further, get back to where they had once been.

Even with that dark cloud suddenly appearing overhead, Pepper tried to remain positive about the direction they were going in. In the kitchen she opened the wine refrigerator, feeling sensual from the music, sexy because she was with Tank. She bent over with her bottom in the air, swaying her hips to the tunes and humming along to the sultry beat. There were so many vintage bottles it was hard to choose.

“Ah! His favorite.” She pulled a nicely aged bottle of Barolo from the fridge. Before she could stand up, Tank gripped her from behind. Holding her hips he pulled her roughly against his groin and pumped her a few times. Absolute bliss. No surprise, he was hard. Pepper loved the feel of him searing through her clothes. All she wanted to do was rip everything off and be naked, let their skin, their bodies, remember and reconcile with each other.

“How can I resist you with your ass sticking in the air like that?” His voice was low and gravelly, close to a growl. She could tell he was having a difficult time holding back his arousal.

I don't want you to hold back, my darling.

Pepper's fingers curled tight on the neck of the wine bottle and she pressed her knuckles on the rack, trying to steady herself from Tank's powerful pumps. His hands spanned her hips, holding, demanding, and firm. She closed her eyes and let the imagery sweep her away. All she could see was both of them naked and sliding together on the sheets, filling each other's lonely hearts with life. All over again. She craved to be filled by him in every way. To feel him deep, deep inside. If he didn't have such a tight grip on her, she would have twisted in his arms to face him.

Tank pressed tight to her and slid his hands around to her belly. Pepper hung in his arms, the bottle dangling limply from her fingers, waiting to see what he would do next. He pulled her to standing, her back flush against his chest. His hands splayed over her belly and slid up to cradle her breasts. Pepper's knees buckled. The roughness of his pumping moments before, and now his touch filled with gentleness, was excruciating heaven. His fingers whispered over her flesh, raising a trail of goose bumps in their wake. When he reached her nipples, she held her breath as he momentarily paused before rubbing lightly across them, sensitizing them to aching, tight tips.

He groaned into her ear and she turned her head, seeking his mouth, but it was her turn to moan when he plucked her nipples with his fingers. Her inner muscles pulsed and her belly tightened, building the tension to near agony. She held her breath when his other hand crept down to the apex of her thighs.

“Oh my God, Tank. You're killing me.” She moaned and licked her lips.

He nuzzled her neck, shivers of delight radiating from his touch and fanned out along her jawline and up into her scalp. Thank God he held her because she was quite sure her legs wouldn't hold her upright; she quaked like a virgin in his arms. Her fingers went slack and the wine bottle thudded to the wooden floor. She heard it roll away. Pepper reached up and locked her fingers behind his head, keeping him pinned to her, and rotated her hips against his erection. He cupped her heat through the jeans while his cock demanded attention from behind.

“Tank. Let's…” She forgot what she was going to say when he caught her earlobe between his lips and sucked. He flicked his tongue lightly along the rim of her ear.

“Let's what?”

“Umm…I don't remember.” How could she think clearly when he was assaulting her like this?

Pepper twisted in his embrace until they faced each other and snaked her arms around his neck. Tank gripped her ass and squeezed tight, pulling her against him, and lifted her onto the granite countertop. He skimmed his hands up her sides, bunching her top around her shoulders.

“Lift.”

Doing as she was told, Pepper lifted her arms above her head. The air in the kitchen was chilled, and her exposed nipples puckered to almost painful points. She pushed her chest out, hoping, wanting his warm, wet mouth on them, and she shimmied her shoulders a little to entice him.

“Are you trying to distract me?”

“Maybe,” Pepper panted.

“You're doing a damn fine job, woman.” His head dipped and, without any preamble, his mouth fused over a sensitive tip.

Pepper arched her back with a cry and clutched at his shoulders.

It was like her nipple was connected with a live wire to her clitoris. A racing wave of longing slipped like hot honey through her veins, along her flesh to settle in her pussy. She dropped her gaze to him, watching as he suckled her. She moaned when he let the nipple pop out of his mouth. He glanced up at her and smiled. Butterflies went crazy in her stomach when he reached the tip of his tongue out to touch the stiff peak. She moved a tiny little bit to meet him. But rather than give that nipple attention, he kissed his way over to the other one. Every nerve ending sang to life and all sense of space and time diminished as she was reduced to pure sensation when he found it.

Pepper was desperate to get out of her jeans; she struggled with the zipper, but the position she was in made it near impossible to undress so she did the next best thing. Wrapped her legs around his hips, hooked her heels on his ass, and pulled him closer. How glorious it was to finally feel the hard length of him touching her so intimately. Where he belonged.

She gazed up at him. The passion etched on his face was for her. For them. Pepper was overcome with happiness. They were finally together. He had accepted her coming home. Their life was getting back on track. She sighed with delight. “Now lie back,” Tank instructed.

“First”—she gasped and fingered the zipper on her jeans—“help me with my pants.”

He took her hand in his and brushed his lips across her knuckles. She was so blissfully happy. It all seemed to be coming together organically. He said sweeter words. He didn't love anyone else. He was here with her. And that told her volumes. He'd always said actions speak louder than words.

“Relax. I'll take care of it.” His voice, deep and full of emotion, was music to her ears.

Pepper didn't fuss when he pressed her back onto the counter. She couldn't look away from him and didn't even bother to try to stop the trembling of her body. She flung her arms out and knocked the antique crock full of cooking utensils aside, giving them more room. A multitude of pots and pans on iron hooks hung above their heads. He was so tall, if he wasn't careful, he'd bang his head on them. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to get lost in the sweet sensations he sent coursing through her.

“You are so beautiful.” His voice thrilled her and she smiled.

Pepper kept her eyes squeezed shut. Focusing only on his touch. He seemed to have hands everywhere, while his hot, wet lips tugged at her nipples. Pepper cried out with delight. He nipped gently before pressing kisses along her stomach until his tongue dipped and swirled into her belly button. Her fingers clasped at his head, the smooth skin of his scalp warm under her palms.

“Now, how about we get these pants off? Lift.”