Authors: Dawn Ryder
She growled, frustration threatening to eat her alive. The impulse to just take what she wanted was there, but she wasn’t going to be accused of ignoring risk factors. It was going to be an equal relationship, not something he felt he had to manage or risk opening himself up to consequences. She slapped his shoulder and used it as a balance point to stand up. The water swished as she left the Jacuzzi and ran down her body to leave a trail across the bathroom and living room floor. She heard him move in the water but didn’t look behind her.
The wrapper from the first condom was sitting on the bedside table. She pulled the drawer open and found several more. Grabbing one, she turned around, marched back to the bathroom, and nearly ran into Tarak. “I’ve got the fucking condom. But since you’re up, I’ve got a better idea.”
The need to jump him was so intense, she was mad she wasn’t already getting what she wanted.
And she was in the mood to take it.
She sank to her knees in front of him. He jerked, surprised by her abrupt motions. But she gripped his cock, pumping it several times. She looked up his magnificent body to find him watching her with hungry eyes.
“I think I’m going to enjoy this more than you are, Tarak.”
And that was a first. She’d never enjoyed sucking cock particularly much. Tonight, she wanted a taste of him.
He shuddered when she licked him for the first time.
His big body rippled and she purred with delight. Closing her fingers around him, she drew her hand up to the crown before leaning forward to lick the slit on top.
“Holy Christ!”
He caught the back of her head by her hair, gathering up a fistful of it. But she didn’t let him control her motions. She leaned forward and took the entire head of his cock between her lips. His skin was silky soft against her lips, the slight salty taste of his come mingling with the taste of his skin. She wanted more, so she milked the portion of his length that wasn’t encased between her lips and teased the slit with the tip of her tongue.
“
Shit!
”
His voice was rough and his breathing labored. He lost his grip in her hair but renewed it as his hips thrust forward, driving more of his cock between her lips.
She wanted it to last longer, but he didn’t seem to have any more control over his response to her than she did to him. He thrust a few more times before a ragged groan announced her victory. His come flooded her mouth and she sucked harder on his cock. His knees bent as pleasure ripped through him. He drew in several hard breaths as she sat back on her heels.
His face glowed with satisfaction. It was hard and basic but very much what she’d craved a glimpse of. He reached out with a hand to steady himself against the doorframe. His eyes were closed as the last of the pleasure rippled through him. It was the closest she’d ever seen him come to displaying any sort of weakness.
He opened his eyes and locked gazes with her. For just a moment, she thought she saw uncertainty in the black orbs, but they hardened as his legs straightened. He grabbed the condom off the countertop where she’d tossed it and tore the package open. One smooth motion and his cock was sheathed.
She trembled, a new rush of need moving through her so quickly, she felt dizzy. “You’re an aphrodisiac.”
“And you’re addictive,” he countered.
But her attention strayed to his cock, the soft sheen of the latex coating it fueling a desperation to have it inside her again. She should have been sated, exhausted, but the need was pulsing through her on a cellular level.
He scooped her up and carried her back to the bed. She fell back onto it without looking, completely trusting him to make sure she didn’t end up on the floor.
“I could look at you like this forever.”
He didn’t sound as if he enjoyed that fact either. There was a note of frustration in his voice that irritated her.
But he didn’t give her the chance to offer a retort. The bed rocked as he joined her, covering her completely and pinning her beneath him. It was a hard embrace but that seemed to feed a craving deep inside her. He pressed her thighs wide with his hips, opening her slit so his cock burrowed easily into her.
He set a hard pace, driving into her with deep thrusts that made her arch to take each one completely. It was rougher than any sex she’d ever had, but more satisfying too. He was pounding into her, driving his cock balls deep with every powerful motion of his hips. She heard the wet sounds of their coupling mixing with the rough sounds of their breathing and it seemed to drive her arousal up even higher. Sweat beaded on her skin, her heart working so hard it felt as if it might just burst along with the climax looming over her.
She really didn’t care. All that mattered was feeding the need, appeasing the craving, and the only way to accomplish that was to meet his every thrust. In the moment of orgasm, she cried out, unable to contain everything she felt inside her body. It was as if her exterior cracked under the strain. He let out a groan, one which proclaimed victory. She opened her eyes and caught the look on his face. He bowed back, straining to bury every last bit of his cock inside her. She felt it jerk and tightened her pussy around it.
“Holy God… don’t stop!”
She clenched, relaxed, and tightened her pussy again. He gasped, snarling as his body shook. For a long moment, he remained frozen before he collapsed. He rolled over, onto the bed beside her.
Her senses were filled with the scent of his sweat. It was a detail that unexpectedly pleased her right before she drifted off into oblivion.
She smelled the sunshine before she opened her eyes.
The sea air just had a different scent when it was warm. Sabra rubbed her eyes and tried to wake up. Her brain took its time because she’d been in such a deep sleep. She felt absolutely wonderful though, more rested than she had in a long time.
The crash of the surf made her frown. Pushing herself up, she looked around the room. Details rushed back as she looked out onto a private stretch of beach. Down the way, she could see the sign warning beach walkers to turn back. In the distance was a couple walking, but they were too far away to see into the suite.
That was a damned good thing since she wasn’t wearing a stitch.
The warm air blew over her bare skin, awakening a memory of the night before. But it was just a memory, and one she was experiencing alone too. Tarak was nowhere in sight. She swung her feet over the side of the bed and walked to the doorway to look into the other part of the suite. The untouched dinner sat on the table along with her purse. She wandered around, looking for a note, but there was nothing.
What
else
did
I
expect?
It was still bitter, but even the disappointment tearing through her fit Tarak. He always affected her in extremes.
A hot shower helped restore her balance, even if part of the reason was because it rinsed out her eyes.
No tears.
It had to be a law of the universe that anyone who spent the night with a sex demon couldn’t get too caught up in the moment. She had to be practical. The man knew how to touch a woman because he practiced a whole lot.
So she needed to be nonchalant.
Modern and poised.
It sucked.
***
“Were you going to say good-bye?”
Sabra turned around to find Tarak coming through the doorway from the balcony. He had on a pair of jogging shorts and a towel draped around his neck. He scanned her from head to toe, taking in every detail. What bugged her was the fact that it felt like he read her expression like a book. Her attempt to be nonchalant wasn’t working very well.
“You didn’t bother to,” she spat out before cringing at just how prissy she sounded. “I mean, yes, I was.”
His eyes narrowed before he decided something and walked across the room to snag her purse off the dining table. Without a hint of regard for her privacy, he yanked the zipper open and searched the contents.
“I sent you a text.” He tossed her cell phone at her. “I guess I should have thought about writing a note.”
She caught the phone and saw the new text message waiting for her. “How did you get my new number?”
“You signed an agreement to submit to random security checks.” He wiped his forehead with the towel before finishing. “I told you last night your new number put up a red flag. Security gave me the number within hours of you signing the contract with the carrier.”
“So much for a private line being private.”
He shrugged, unrepentant. “You want to work on the sixteenth floor? Deal with the Defense Department’s demands.”
“Somehow, I think this is about your demands.”
He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass from a cabinet. He flipped on the faucet and filled it with water. When it was full, he turned around and leaned against the counter.
“I wanted to know if you went back to Kevin.” He drew a long sip of water. “I couldn’t keep my mind off you for even a single day. It was burning a hole in my mind, thinking you were using him to satisfy the passion you had for me.”
He set the water down with a sharp motion. A moment later, he had her pulled up against his body. Even his sweat smelled good.
“I want you to stay, Sabra.”
It was a strange combination of order and plea. He rubbed her nape, trying to soothe her into compliance.
She shuddered. Her body responded to his instantly. She flattened her hands against his chest but lost the urge to push him away the moment she felt the hard muscles. Her lips went dry as she realized just how fast she was succumbing to him again.
She drew in a deep breath to steady herself. “Maybe it’s healthy for us to take a few hours off…”
“That’s what I thought when I went running.”
He stroked her back, moving one hand down to cup her bottom and press her forward. His cock was rigid beneath the soft jersey of his shorts.
“It didn’t work out as planned.”
A wave of heat moved slowly through her belly. It was tempting, so enticing, but it felt as if a warning bell was going off at the same time, telling her she was on a path that was going to lead her straight into obsession.
“This is freaking me out a little,” she confessed. “The sex is great but—”
“Leaving at first light makes you the one who wants no strings attached.” He sounded irritated, which grated on her nerves. She pushed against his chest. His grip tightened on her nape before he released her.
“Don’t you want more?” she asked.
He grabbed the water glass and drained it.
“Don’t you want something beyond sex?” she pressed.
He was looking at the empty glass on the marble kitchen countertop. He was avoiding her stare, concealing his true feelings. It hurt more than waking up alone had.
“Okay, well I guess if you just want to be a tool in the bedroom. That’s your business.”
He laughed, the sound low and menacing. With a sharp motion, he turned around and faced her. Tarak crossed his arms over his chest and leveled a scathing look at her.
“It’s nothing but a bullshit game.” His tone was razor-sharp. “A primitive holdover that’s sunk so far into your brain, you don’t even realize the reason you want a relationship is because you need to trust me enough to let me get on top of you. It’s a survival instinct, nothing more.”
She wanted to get mad. It should have been easy since he was taking callousness to a new level. But her memory refused to let her forget what he’d confessed. He had feelings, somewhere under all the walls he’d built up.
“She really tore a hole in you.”
His eyebrows lowered defensively. “Who?”
“The one who sold your ring at a pawnshop.” His complexion darkened, but she didn’t let him have enough time to form a retort. “I’m leaving because I’m not interested in sharing you with her ghost. Call me if you decide to get past that breakup.”
She grabbed her purse and her heels tapped against the title as she made her way to the door.
Pain was tearing up the memories of the last twenty-four hours as she opened the door and stepped out into the elevator lobby. It was as though a beast were trying to destroy every last golden moment she thought she’d experienced.
She was too agitated to wait for the elevator so she opted for the stairs. Moving kept her busy, too busy to let her emotions seep through the cracks in her composure.
Sex demons sucked at morning afters.
***
Tarak had marked her.
Sabra lifted her hand and studied the pink marks around her wrist on the way home. A faint twist of excitement went through her belly.
All right, she’d been an accessory to the crime.
She leaned her head back and tried to clear her mind. It wasn’t going to be easy, but once again she reminded herself that she’d known how giving in to her hunger for Tarak was going to end.
Her car was still sitting in the driveway when the cab pulled up at the curb. She peered into the front seat to read the meter.
The driver was already out and on his way around to open her door. She fumbled with some bills and offered them to him as she stood up.
“No, ma’am. Mr. Nektosha has an account with us.”
Of course he did. A fuck pad needed a morning-after cleanup crew after all.
She handed the guy a five and rummaged around inside her purse for her house keys. It was a beautiful early spring day, the California sky blue and clear. But all she wanted to do was get inside and hide.
Some modern, poised woman she was turning out to be.
***
He went to his beach suite for privacy. That was its purpose in his life.
Tarak stepped into the shower and let the cold water slap him back into normalcy.
It didn’t work as well as planned. The moment he crossed into the bedroom, he spied the tangled sheets and his tie still hanging from the headboard.
She didn’t want to share him with a ghost?
Of course not. No woman wanted to share.
But the silence shamed him with just how easily she’d walked away from him. No pleading look. No attempt to wring a promise of a call from him, just a determined look in her eyes as she stuck to what she felt was important. His money had always been enough to get other women to adjust their rules to suit his decisions.
Not Sabra.
She was just gone, and for the first time in a very long time, he discovered himself missing the company he’d so easily discarded.
But he had no idea what it meant.
***
“Don’t think you are canceling brunch.” Celeste clicked her tongue on the other end of the phone line. “I have been saving up my calories all weekend, so you’d better be getting ready.”
“I’m not very good company,” Sabra admitted, ashamed at how she’d let the better part of Saturday drift into nothingness. Sunday morning wasn’t looking any more promising either.
“Well, I am excellent company,” Celeste purred. “I’ll be in your driveway in twenty-two minutes. Choose the setting for your interrogation.”
There was a soft, evil-sounding cackle on the other end of the line before it cut off. Sabra couldn’t help but smile. Celeste was a master at worming details out of people, and she enjoyed it.
And hiding from the world wasn’t the answer, so when Celeste pulled her Corvette into the driveway, Sabra was ready for her. At least she hoped she was.
Celeste drove into the city before heading up a hill. The restaurant she pulled up in front of had a view of the entire valley. The champagne brunch was in full swing as they walked through the atrium toward the front doors. Water tinkled in a fountain as the scent of jasmine filled the morning air. Two doormen opened the double doors for them as the maître d’ offered them a smile. The moment they sat down, Celeste fluttered her eyelashes and ordered something from the kitchen. As usual, the staff was falling over themselves to serve her unfairly attractive sidekick. Iced tea arrived right on the heels of their order being taken.
“You always want to have brunch, but you never take anything off the buffet.”
Celeste gave a delicate shrug. “I’m a germophobe.”
“You know the waiter is just dishing up what is waiting in the warming pans,” Sabra predicted.
Celeste winkled her nose. “I bet you there will be steam rising from the plate he delivers; lots of steam to prove the cook made me something fresh. So why was your car in the driveway Friday night?”
The interrogation was commencing. A gleam of anticipation entered Celeste’s green eyes as she pegged Sabra with a knowing glance. “I was there at seven sharp for our girls’ night out.”
“Oh crap.” Sabra reached for her iced tea and took a sip. “I’m sorry. I completely forgot.”
“You didn’t check your text messages either,” she continued. “I was very put out. Went home and spent the night surfing Facebook posts in search of companionship.”
Sabra snorted. “Oh right.”
A waiter appeared with a plate that was indeed steaming. He placed it in front of Celeste with a practiced flourish. He sat another plate down in front of Sabra before retreating.
“Admit it,” Celeste insisted as she used the side of her fork to cut into her omelet. “You got over your trust issues with Tarak Nektosha.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far. We’ve still got plenty of trust issues. Actually, I’m not sure we have anything at all anymore.”
Celeste froze with her fork in the air on the way to her mouth. Her green eyes were fixed on Sabra’s wrist where the faint pink marks were.
“You let him tie you up?” Her friend was furious. Rage made her tremble.
“It was just a spontaneous thing,” Sabra muttered, but she cringed when she felt her cheeks turning red. Celeste didn’t miss it either.
“That’s how it starts.” Her eyes widened with knowledge that was painful for her. “And then they have to keep topping their last high, like a junkie. Never satisfied with what they had the last time. Don’t let him treat you like that. He’s just a selfish pig who thinks the world is his toy store.”
“It’s nothing to get so worked up over. It’s over.”
Celeste warned, her eyes still glowing with rage. “I hope so, Sabra. He’s a dangerous man, one with enough money to make most complications with the law disappear. Don’t trust his kind. They play by different rules.”
“I know.”
But that didn’t stop Sabra from thinking about him for the rest of the day. Sunday afternoon stretched on for what felt like an eternity. It tormented her with thoughts of what she’d find waiting for her on Monday morning. The only relief she found was by sitting down at her computer and taking a look at the want ads. But there was no way any major company was going to overlook the seven-month blip on her résumé. A short tenure like that was going to set off alarm bells. Sure, Tarak had been completely professional, but Celeste was right, he was used to controlling his world. If he wanted her out of it, she’d be gone.
She marked several possible positions and updated her work history before turning in for the night.
She’d deal with whatever came. It was the Donovan way.
***
“Another, Mr. Nektosha?”
Tarak nodded and the flight attendant looked surprised. But she masked it quickly, plastering a smile on her lips and returning to the private jet’s galley. He cussed softly when she delivered the whisky. The last woman who’d driven him to excess was Liluye.
But he liked drinking to Sabra’s memory better.
That fact made him put the tumbler down. Sabra wasn’t lost to him unless he let her slip through his fingers. The jet engines droned on in the background as they propelled him north toward Alaska.
He was running away.
It was the honest truth, and it made him take a step back to think about his actions. A coward would spend his entire life running and never understand his own soul. His grandfather had told him that more times than he could count, enough so that the words rose inside his head in the same crusty voice the old man had near the end of his days.