Stripped Defenseless (9 page)

She
shoved away the thought of how many other women had knelt before him like this.
How many he’d stared at with those hot-and-cold eyes, promising them both
everything and nothing.

It
didn’t matter. She had the power now. With the flick of her tongue over his
engorged head, she made him groan. His fingers entwined in her hair, holding
her closer.

She
held his base with one hand and cupped his tight balls with the other, loving
how every inch of him responded to her. She licked her lips, then took him in
her mouth, just a couple inches. Her cheek felt bruised, but she ignored the
tenderness, her desire overpowering any discomfort.

He
was large, but she tried not to let that intimidate her. She’d give him
pleasure one way or another.

Trickles
of his hot cum danced at the back of her throat as she sucked him in harder.
She found herself purring against him, his taste making her hot with need. Her
thighs trembled and her pussy ached as the water from the shower pelted her ass
and lower back.

He
leaned against the tile wall and slowly pumped his hips forward. With his hand
holding her in place, his cock reached the depths of her throat.

Ava
swallowed and slurped, eagerly accepting his rhythm, wanting nothing more than
to consume every inch of his yummy length. She moved her hands over his muscled
thighs, up to his perfect tight ass, and clutched his flesh.

He
swore gruffly as if pleading for her mercy.

Yes.
Come for me, Kade.

Sheer
satisfaction rolled through her, and all her thought and energy centered on
sucking and manipulating him with her tongue.

He
grasped the hand towel rack beside them and let out a rumbling groan that
echoed in the shower stall. Hot cum shot down her throat, and she drank him up,
savoring the taste of his liquid cream. When there was no more to be taken, she
eased away and kissed his taut rippled abdomen.

Was
it wrong to worship his body, to need more?

“Ava,”
he said in a husky, heated voice. “What do you do to me?”

Water
trickled down her face as she stood to face him. How could she answer him if
she didn’t understand the question? Her mind was blurred with a strong yearning
to be held and caressed by him. Nothing else mattered at that moment.

He
reached out and pushed back a wet lock of hair that had fallen against her
injured cheek, and her skin tingled across her entire body.
What did he do
to her?
One single touch had her reeling with an unbridled hunger.

Not
being able to wait any longer, she grabbed his wrist and directed his hand
toward her needy breast. He massaged it, gently stroking his thumb over her
drenched, aching nipple.

A
half grin formed on his lips. “The water’s starting to get cold.”

It
wasn’t until then she noticed the goose bumps on her skin and her quivering
lips. She was freezing.

He
stretched his arm around her and shut off the shower. “Come on. Let’s get
warm.”

Without
a thought, she followed him out and let him pat a towel down her roused body.
She was glad when he slowed and paid special attention to the inside of her
thighs, sliding the terry cloth up between her legs, over her sensitive
pussy...her mound...her stomach...and across each breast.

After
grabbing another towel, he walked behind her and began to dry her hair,
wrapping it up and squeezing the water out of the locks.

“I
could get used to this.” She instantly regretted her words.

He
stopped what he was doing and draped the towel around her. “I wouldn’t if I
were you,” he said in an almost inaudible voice as he maneuvered around her.
His intense gaze cut into her, and he walked out of the bathroom, leaving her
there feeling like a complete idiot. Again.

Biting
into her lip, she refocused and tried to gain control of her emotions. “I
didn’t mean it literally, Kade,” she called out to him. “It’s not like I want
to marry you and start popping out puppies. I don’t even know your last name.”

Silence
thickened between the rooms so she gave up trying to defend herself for
absolutely no reason at all. Why did she care anyway? The man was good for the
physical stuff but that was it. That was where it ended. If she could manage to
keep her mouth shut, she could probably get one more night of sex out of him
before she moved on. And maybe find out where he lived in case she wanted to
locate him again. Just for the sex. Really.

The
mirror over the sink reminded her of the long day she’d had. Her cheek was pink
and slightly swollen, and the dark circles under her eyes made it seem like
she’d aged ten years in the past few hours.

She
sighed, wrapped some ice in a towel and gathered the courage to join him.

When
she walked through the door, he had on a pair of black boxer briefs and was
sitting at the edge of the bed rifling through a duffle bag.

“How
are you feeling?” He looked up only for a moment.

“Fine.”
One word answers were the best way to go.

“You
don’t look fine.”

“Mmm.”
Not a word but cursing at the man probably wouldn’t get her laid. She crawled
onto the bed, still completely naked, but he didn’t even give her the courtesy
of a glance.

“Why
don’t you take these?” He swiveled around to face her with a brown prescription
bottle in his hand.

“Those?”
She raised an eyebrow. “What are you trying to do, drug me?”

He
shook his head but still didn’t make eye contact. “They’re pain killers for an
old injury I’ve got that flares up from time to time. A couple of these, and
you won’t feel a thing, I promise you.”

She
arched her body toward him and circled her finger over her nipple. “What if I
want to feel something?” she asked in the sultry voice she’d used a billion
times at the club.

He
blinked. “What?”

Why
was it so much easier to play a seductress when you were named after a flower?
“Nothing,” she said, giving up. She placed the ice-packed towel over her cheek
and tried to forget how horny she was.

The
bed creaked as he stood. “I’ll get you some water.”

“Whatever,”
she mumbled, reminding herself that
survivors
didn’t beg. If Kade didn’t
want to see her anymore after tonight, then to hell with him. Oh, who was she
kidding? What would one more try at seduction hurt?

* * * * *

Kade
didn’t look in the mirror as he filled the plastic cup. How could he when the
man looking back at him was nothing but a pathetic, self-centered prick?

Ava
Lureau deserved better than what he had planned for her, and it sickened him.
But there was no other way around it.

If
she weren’t so innocent and loving, pleasing him so readily with her beautiful
body, then what he had to do would be easier. Cut and dried. Regrettably, he
knew as long as she let him, he’d take everything she had to give. Just like a
drug, he was quickly becoming addicted to her. He longed to please her—every
part of her. Fill her. Possess her. Protect her.

He
walked back into the bedroom and saw her lying there with the comforter only
partially covering her naked body. God, he wanted her, and he wasn’t sure he
would ever be able to get enough.

Maybe
if he were to have her just one last time before she found out his identity.
What could it hurt? She was going to despise him anyway.

After
spilling out two of the pills into his free hand, he walked over and sat beside
her. “Here, take these.”

She
met his eyes while pressing the towel filled with ice against her cheek. “I
don’t need it.”

“They’ll
help you sleep.” He watched a droplet of water drip down her neck from the
makeshift ice pack.

“I
don’t want to sleep.” She sat up, and the wet bead ran down between her supple
breasts.

Instinctively,
he grew hard as he imagined following that path with his tongue. The taste of
her, the soft creamy feel of her, just the thought aroused him.

“Please,
take the pills,” he ordered himself to say.

She
pulled the pack from her cheek and set it down on the bed beside her. “Don’t
you want me?” she asked. “I know I look like hell, but...I don’t know. We could
have one last fling before we go our separate ways.”

“Aren’t
you in pain?” Kade attempted to keep his thoughts rational because his body
wanted to flatten her against the mattress, spread her legs, and make love to
her until she was completely satisfied.

“A
little, but you can make me feel better.” She picked up an ice cube from the
towel and slid it over her hardened nipple and down her stomach to her navel.
“You know, like you did when we were young and innocent.” It melted quickly
over her tanned flesh, and trickled down the area between her bare mound and
her thigh.

Focus,
Kade.

With
the minute bit of willpower he had left, he shoved the pills and the cup of
water toward her. “Take these or I’ll feel bad.”

“And
then?”

“Then
I’ll screw you so hard you’ll have to retire your pussy.”

She
giggled. “Retire my pussy? Is that all you got?”

He
would’ve upped the ante but was relieved when Ava took the pink and white
capsules from his hand and swallowed them down with the water. Maneuvering her
naked body to the middle of the bed, she lay on her back and opened her knees,
letting him see the luscious rosy folds between her legs.

“Ready,”
she said softly and laughed again.

Lord,
he was going to miss her. One last night. One last time pleasuring her. He
needed to make it worth her while...before it was too late.

Chapter Five

Poppy
sat in her blue two-door hatchback and stared across the street through her
cracked windshield. After she had overheard Kade on the phone, an uncanny
feeling had her running circles in her head.

Who
had he been talking to?

Whoever
it was obviously had plans for Lily or Ava or whatever. It didn’t really matter
what her name was now that the slut was leaving and would be out of the
picture.

Poor
Jarred should have called the police on her ass. His nose was the size of a
grapefruit. Sort of deserved it. But still. He was the only guy who’d ever
cared for her. Enough to rescue her from the streets and give her a job. A safe
job. One where she didn’t have to spread her legs for just any ol’ pervert who
flashed some money at her.

Those
days were over thanks to Jarred. She owed him. And hopefully one day he’d
realize she was good enough for marriage, and maybe a kid or two.

Her
mama would’ve liked to see that, if she were still alive.

Not
that Poppy didn’t allow a man to have his way with her once in a while. If the
money was right and the man was worthy enough, she’d do just about anything.
She didn’t let Jarred in on her little side jobs, although he was always
suspicious.

But
what Jarred didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt him. Besides, he wasn’t exactly
faithful.

If
only tramps like Ava would stop tempting him, he’d stop fooling around and get
serious.
Maybe buy me a nice ring.
Get down on one knee like you see in
the movies. They could buy a house. The one on Bluebird Street with the
wraparound porch and that nice big elm in the front.

She
sighed and gripped the steering wheel. Someday she’d get what she wanted.

The
light dimmed in the hotel room across the street, and Poppy’s mind started
swarming with ideas again. What if that Kade guy was a spy? What if Ava was a
criminal and the mysterious person on the phone wanted to put her in prison?
What if...

* * * * *

Ava
loved the broad width of Kade’s back and shoulders. His well-defined arms
weren’t bad either. Especially when they flexed while he reached down to pull
off his underwear. As he turned to climb onto the bed, she licked her lips at
the sight of her favorite muscle of all.

“I
swear that is the most beautiful penis I have ever laid my eyes on.” She ran
her hands over her thighs in anticipation.

“Have
you seen many?” He moved to kneel between her legs, and began massaging the
inside of her thighs with his rough hands.

“Jealous?”
She inhaled deeply at the feel of his touch.

“Just
want to know how many other guys I’ve beat out.” He shrugged and smiled. “It’s
a man thing.” His fingers kneaded and molded her flesh, stroking from her knee
to the heat burning between her thighs.

“A
few.” She bit into her lip both to keep from moaning and to hide her grin.
Could a guy like Kade get jealous? He didn’t seem to care about much.

A
finger brushed lightly against her clit, teasingly, back and forth. “Four?
Five?” he asked in a heady voice.

Ava
let out a small whimper. “Umm.” She tried to gain focus. “Tell me your last
name, and I’ll answer your question.”