Love 'Em: A Bad Boy Romance (27 page)

I take the doll and step outside and close the door. It’s
been David’s policy for us to never be inside alone. He told me long ago it
gave the appearance of evil, even if nothing bad was happening. Fine with me; less
awkward that way.

“Didn’t see you last night, so I thought I’d come down and
check on you.”

“Oh, I was out with a—a friend until late. Hope y’all had a
good trip.”

He grins. “It was very rejuvenating. I feel ten years
younger.”

Danny may have his mom’s coloring, but that smile of his is
all Dave. Rach has it too.

“That’s good. Okay. Well, I probably need to brush my teeth
and get started on some homework.”

“Before you go in, I need to check out your water heater. I looked
at the bills this morning and I think we have a leak somewhere.”

“I haven’t noticed anything.”

“Well, always good to check. I’ll be quick.” He takes the
doll. “I’ll put this inside, so you don’t have to stand here holding it. Wait
right here.”

“Okay. Thanks—I guess.”

I sit in the sun, the never relenting Texas breeze blowing
my hair wild around my head. True to his word, about ten minutes later, Dave’s back.

“Okay. I set the doll on your dresser. And everything looks
good with the water heater. Must be a problem somewhere else.”

“Glad it’s all right. I’ll see you guys later. Welcome
home.”

Dave nods and heads up to the main house.

* * *

I check my phone when I get out of the shower. Ten
thirty-three.

Crap.

I grab my shorts and a tank top. My study partner’s going to
be ticked. I was supposed to meet Slade at ten-fifteen.

Scooping up my books, I head out the door. I’m ten feet from
the end of the drive when Danny turns in on his bike. I stop to let him pass,
but he pulls up beside me and flips the visor up on his helmet.

The clock in the dash says it’s ten-forty. “Hey, I’ve got to
meet a friend. Can’t chat now. I’m late.”

His hand goes for the buckle at his chin. “A friend?”

“Yup. Need to go. See ya.” I roll up my window, hitting the
gas.

Slade gets pissy when he has to wait. I’ll be lucky if he’s
not gone by the time I get there, even though I sent a text before I left.

* * *

I dash from the car into the coffee shop. Slade’s at the far
end of the room. I squeeze between tables and dodge people getting to him. He
frowns.

“Sorry, I lost track of time.”

“Well, you almost lost track of me. I have shit to do. I
can’t wait here all day for you.”

I let out a sigh. “I’m saying this with all the love I have
for you as my friend and classmate: You need this study session. You leave, you
lose.”

He pushes his papers across the table toward me. I plop into
the chair next to him and read over the notes he’s made. I quiz him on the
material for the upcoming exam.

After an hour, I hop up to grab us a couple of coffees. I
set his cup in front of him, he looks up from hooded eyes. “So, have you talked
to her?”

I shake my head. His shoulders droop, but only for a second.
He stands, gathering his books. “Well, I need to go to work. I’ll call you
later in the week; maybe we can get together right before the test?”

“Sure. And hey, it’s just a few more weeks and Rach’s coming
home. When she does, don’t waste your time. She’ll only be here for a short
time before she has to leave for school. And this time, don’t act like a jerk.
That is not the way to a girl’s heart. Trust me on this.”

“Who says I’m after someone’s heart?” He gives me a quick
grin and saunters out.

Poor guy. He’s got it bad. Of course, he won’t admit it. He
just asks about her every now and then. I’m not sure what his deal is. He’s sizzling
hot. With everything else, he seems to have no problem going after what he
wants. Something about Rachel stifles him.

I do my best to focus all my energy on school and working at
the shelter. There’s always a need for extra hands. And I really love playing
with the little kids while their moms get job skill training.

Whenever Danny texts or calls, I tell him I’m studying.

I
am
studying. I’m also avoiding. But he doesn’t have
to know that.

Most of my spare time, I hang out at the coffee shop. The less
I’m home, the less chance I have of running into him. Of course, the more I
stay away from him, the more I think about him and all the things we could be
doing if we were together.

But no. Not a good idea.

My phone vibrates on the table. I answer, “Hey, Slade.”

“Got time to get together and study for that exam? I ended
up with the afternoon off.”

“Sure thing. I’m at the coffee shop right now. Want to come
here?”

“Actually, I’m on your side of town today, I’ve got my
stuff, can we meet at your house?”

Dave and Charlotte don’t really like me to have boys over.
But, it’s for school, so surely they’ll understand. “I’ll be home in fifteen.”

“I’ll meet you there.”

* * *

It takes two and a half hours, but I think Slade’s finally
getting it. I hold my palm in the air; Slade looks at it as though I’ve lost my
mind. I reach over and grab his forearm. “It’s called a high five. Works like
this.”

He smiles and smacks my hand. “You’re weird.”

“Says the guy who won’t talk to the girl he’s liked since
third grade.”

He shoots me a look. “Have not.”

I shake my head. “Whatever. All right. If we’re done, I’m
going to hit the sack. I’ll see you in class Monday.”

“So, you still haven’t talked to her?”

I walk him to the door, flipping on the outside flood lights.
“Sorry. It’s expensive to call Africa.”

His head almost touches the ceiling of the porch’s overhang.
“Well, if you do talk to her, don’t tell her I ask about her. Okay?”

I shake my head. “Whatever. You know, if you like a girl,
it’s okay to tell her. She’s not going to hate you for liking her. She’ll
probably be flattered.”

He steps off the porch. I follow, but stop at the top step.

He turns back to me. “I just don’t think she’s going to be
flattered that it’s
me
who likes her. That’s all.”

“Aw. You poor thing.” I grab his shoulders and give him a
big hug. “You’re not a bad guy. I don’t care what anyone says.”

He squeezes my waist. “Thanks, Mo.”

* * *

I have a shower, comb my hair, and wrap in my fluffy robe. I
head into the living room, but don’t even get settled on the sofa when a knock
sounds at the door. I pick up the book Slade left behind.

“Took you long enough.” I open the door. Oh. “You’re not Slade.
What’re you doing here?”

Danny pushes past me into the room. “Slade? No Shit? Was
that who was here earlier?”

I shrug. “Yeah. Why? Were you watching me?”

“No. I just happened to look out while you had your arms
around him. Is he why you won’t talk to me?”

I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. He’s my
study partner.”

“You must have some good grades as much as you study.”

I close the door. “My grades are fine—what’s your problem?”

CH. EIGHT

He reaches for me. Taking my face in his hands, his lips
crash into mine. His tongue invades and conquers. When he raises his head, his
heart beats so hard it thumps where it presses against my heaving chest.

He answers, “Nothing’s wrong now.”

My body craves his. So, I back out of his hold, busying
myself in the kitchen, pouring a couple of iced teas. “No bandage over your
cut?”

He looks at his stitched wrist. “Yeah, doc said three days
for the bandage. The stitches come out on Monday.”

I hand him a tea glass and take a long sip of mine.

He gulps his entire drink at once, setting the cup on the
counter as he moves around the island to my side. “So, you busy?”

“Now? I was getting ready to go to bed.”

He smiles. “I have perfect timing, don’t I?”

I rub the back of my neck. “You should probably head on
home. I don’t want your parents to know we’re here alone. Really don’t think
they’d like it.”

“Who gives a shit what they like?”

Propping my hands on my hips, I glare at him. “I do. You
should, too. They’re your parents.”

“Well, I don’t care. And you shouldn’t either.”

“Why not? They provide a place for me to live, I respect
them. Wouldn’t hurt for you to give that a try.”

“I respect people who deserve it. My mom? Maybe. Dad? Fuck
no.”

I run my hand through my still damp hair. “Look, I don’t
know what happened between you and your dad, Danny. But I don’t want to get
caught in the middle of it, okay? It’s your family. If I had family, I’d hold
on with everything I have. I don’t understand the way you are with them.”

“That’s only because you don’t know everything.”

I dump my ice and set my glass in the sink. “Well, I don’t
need to know.”

I try to skirt past him, but he grabs my robe. “No. You
don’t. Look, I didn’t come here to talk about my family.”

“Somehow I doubt you came to talk at all.”

“Maybe you’re right.” He laughs out loud and smiles like an
eight-year-old with a new bike. “The other night was fucking incredible.”

My ears blaze and I lower my eyes. His cock is thick and hard,
bulging behind his zipper. Somewhere deep inside my libido answers.

This is ridiculous. “You should probably go before anyone
realizes where you are; it’s after ten.”

He leans against the counter and kisses me hard on the mouth.
“Nope. I don’t want to go. Let me stay the night. I’ll sneak home in the
morning.”

My heart trips over its own feet and my eyes snap back to
his. It’s too much. Too fast. I have to slow this down or I’m going to end up
hurtling over a cliff, and Danny’s not the guy who’ll be waiting at the bottom
to catch me.

“You can’t stay. You know that. Besides, you don’t want to stay
all night anyway. You just want to get laid.”

His smile fades. “That’s not fair. You don’t know that.”

I pull out of his hold, self-preservation kicking in. “Oh,
c’mon, Danny. Look, it’s okay. I want you too. It’s a physical thing. Sowing
oats, or whatever.”

“Oats? What the fuck, Mo?”

“I’m just saying we both know your reputation. You don’t do
relationships. The tabloids say you don’t even do over-nighters.” I push away.

He grins. “You follow my shit in the tabloids?”

I let out a sigh. “Do you stay the night with other girls or
not?”

He looks away. “I don’t want to talk about other girls. I’m
asking
you
if I can stay. What’s wrong with that?”

“Look, Danny. All I’m saying is let’s not
act
like
this is something it’s not.”

His eyes harden, his voice is even harder. “Fine. I’ll call
it what it is, if that makes you let me stay. I want to fuck your brains out so
much I can hardly fucking stand myself, Mo. I want to spend all fucking night
fucking you and getting off on making you come on my fucking tongue the way you
did before. And I want to fuck you so hard and so long you’ll come on my
fucking cock too.”

I expel the breath I’ve been holding, my words too shocked
to come out of hiding.

He tips my chin up and pulls my bottom lip down with his
thumb. “Does that make you fucking happy, Mo? My
honesty
about what
this
is?”

I clear my throat, desperately pulling syllables from the
mess of thoughts at my feet. “I—yes, it does. I think it’s best if we keep this
real. Don’t you? I mean, no one gets hurt if we both go into this with our eyes
open, right?”

He crosses his arms and studies me. Finally, he says, “We
can only get hurt if we have feelings for each other, Mo. Do you have feelings
for me? Are you worried about getting hurt?”

“Feelings? For
you
? No—no way.” My heart thumps. “That’s
not what I meant. I just—it’s best if we call it what it is. Sowing wild oats.
Both of us.”

Danny’s face calms. His frown disappears and his eyes relax.
“Okay. I see where you’re coming from. Wild oats. I can be your wild oats if
you want me to be.”

I let the tension out of my chest with a great exhale.
“Good. So, we’ll be really honest. No need to pretty this up or make it seem
like something it’s not. I don’t expect anything from yo—”

Danny’s got me turned around, hips against the edge of the
counter, his erection shoved hard against my ass. He grabs a handful of hair,
his breath hot on my nape as he kisses my neck. His other hand slides into my
robe and cups my tit.

“Well, I expect something from you, Mo. I’ll be your wild
oat adventure, but this…” He unties the belt at my waist, and his hand cups my curls.
“
This
is mine, as long as we’re
fucking
. No one touches it. No
one but me.”

Catching my gaze in the reflection of window over the sink,
he squeezes my clit, sending a thrill through me. “You got me?”

I nod. Then he’s on me. He pulls the robe off and drops it
at my feet. His mouth works its way from the back of my neck, between my
shoulder blades, to the tip of my tailbone. My entrance wets as he spreads my
cheeks and pushes my legs wider.

Over my shoulder, his clear green eyes meet mine as he
bites. I jump, but he uses his forearm across my lower back to hold me firm
against the counter. Then his other hand flattens on my back as he pushes me
forward, bending me over. I brace myself on either side of the sink.

When his tongue slips between my cheeks to tickle that tight
place, I close my eyes. He kneads my ass as he kisses my seam, his tongue
running up and down, from my tailbone to my slit. He sucks my pussy, and his tongue
teases my clit until I’m dripping.

He moves his fingers over my bud and circles it as he sinks
his tongue into my entrance. I tilt my ass into the air, to give him better
access. My breaths shallow as he licks from one hole to the other.

When he thrusts two fingers into my cunt—good Lord—I raise my
knee, propping it on the edge of the counter.

He chuckles. “That’s right, Babe. Open up for me.”

Danny runs his tongue across that tight circle, sending tiny
tingles out through my pussy and into my womb, upping the pressure. With his
thumb pressing my clit, his fingers pumping into my pussy, he slips his tongue
into that puckered place in the back.

I catch my breath and on exhale, I breathe, “Oh, Danny.”

He makes love to my asshole with his tongue, while he finger
fucks my cunt. My legs are weak, and I tremble with want. The world spins out
of control and I grab the edge of the countertop when, like a monsoon, the rain
of pleasure drenches me.

My body tightens and pulses. Danny moves, so his tongue
hovers just below my entrance, his breath hot on my folds. He pulls his fingers
down, dragging against the edges of my slit.

He stands and, with one hand, he turns me to face him. He
holds up his creamy fingers and licks them, taking his time to clean every last
bit of moisture from them. All I can do is watch, not sure whether I should be
disgusted or turned on.

Then he grabs my ass and pulls me against him, his hardness
rubbing my clit through his jeans. He whispers, “You came on my tongue, Mo.
Just like I wanted. Now I’m going to make you come on my cock.”

I pick Mo up and her legs go around my waist. I carry her
into the bedroom and drop her onto the bed. She stares, wide eyed. I pull my
tattered t-shirt over my head. Then I yank my zipper down and let my cock out. Sliding
out of my shoes, I shove my jeans down and kick them off.

It’s dark, but the light from the hall glances off her slightly
parted lips. It’s as though they’re waiting for my cock.

I put my hands on either side of her at the foot of the bed.
She leans back and I climb over her, like the panther tattooed onto my back would
stalk its prey. When I’ve got her completely covered with my body, I slip my
hand to her pussy. It’s still wet as hell and that makes me even harder.

I press a kiss to her forehead. “I’m going to fuck you so
hard, Sweets; I’ll ruin you for any other man. You’re mine.
Only
mine. I
won’t share.”

She opens her mouth as though she’s going to say something,
but I silence her with my kiss, moving my knee between hers as my tongue delves
into the sweet recesses her mouth.

The head of my cock touches the softness of her entrance.
Fuck. Condom. I pull away.

Her arms come around me. “Where are you going?”

I kiss her temple. “Just getting a condom.”

“But—I want…”

Sliding my lips across hers, I ask, “Want what?”

Her hand slips between us, taking hold of my erection. “I want
to feel you come inside me.”

“No protection?”

She shakes her head. “I’m on the pill. Have been for years.”

Ah, yeah.

I take hold of her jaw and kiss her again, harder. I cup the
back of her head as I move forward again. She lets her legs fall open and
guides my cock to her entrance. I cover her hand with mine and rub the head of
my erection over her slit, making sure she’s good and wet, and that I am too.

The way her folds slide around my shaft as I push inside her
sends a lightning bolt of pleasure through me. She’s still so fucking tight. I move
in by inches, giving her time to adjust to me again.

Once I’m in all the way, I break our kiss.

She asks, “What’s wrong?”

I kiss her jaw and move to her neck. “Nothing’s wrong, Sweets.
Everything is just right. Exactly how it’s supposed to be.”

Her arms tighten as my strokes quicken. I roll my hips and
her sheath glides around my length. The faster I move, the shorter her breaths
get. Mo’s hands move to my ass where she holds tight. I grab her behind her
knee and pull her leg up, allowing me to go deeper.

I said I’d ruin her for other men, but she’s ruined me. Her
sweet mouth under mine, the sounds she makes as I sink into her body. I kiss
her again, as my own breath starts to grow shallow. Every time I plunge inside,
her hips rise to meet me, her hands tightening on my ass.

That sound comes from the back of her throat, and I increase
my pace. Her scent and her curves wrap around me. I’ll never get enough of Mo,
and I’ll never want another. She’s everything I’ve dreamed she’d be for so
long.