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  Hope shook her head. “I do have some tequila, vodka, and whiskey though. And softer drinks if you’re not up for the hard stuff.” She made a face and shook her head. “Sorry, that came out wrong. Or not. Maybe just ignore me. I don’t know what I’m saying half the time.”

  I chuckled as I crossed the room to her. Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her to me until she was flush against my body. “I don’t think it’s possible to ignore you, so don’t stop on my account.”

  Hope set her drink down then twined her arms around my shoulders. “Okay, but for the record you’re not gonna find much hardness here.” She leaned back and gestured with one hand down her body. “It’s mostly a lot of soft with the tiniest bit of firm. Or a little bit of firm if you count teeth. But they’re not removable like Goldie’s.”

  I snorted and buried my face in her hair. “Fuck me. Whatever you do tonight, do not bring up that woman or her offer again. It’s a verified mood killer, especially the teeth part.”

  “Noted. Sorry. Sometimes my mouth goes off before my brain has a chance to catch up.”

  “I’m starting to get that.” I leaned back and stared at Hope. Fuck me, she was gorgeous. She had that All-American California girl thing with her long blonde hair and slender body. But it was her brown eyes that just slayed me. They held a vulnerability that made me want to do whatever I could for her. Protect her from the neighborhood, shield her from horny older women, hell, I’d be willing to slay a dragon for her. Doe-eyed blondes had always been my weakness.

  “So, no drink then?” Hope asked with a hesitant smile.

  “Ask me after.”

  “After what?”

  As an answer, I ducked my head and kissed her. She was tense for only a moment, but then her body relaxed as she kissed me back. Opening her mouth to my hungry tongue, she groaned softly. I felt a sharp pinch as her hand tangled in my hair, but I didn’t give a shit. She felt so fucking good against me—soft and welcoming and so damn hot. I had no idea where her bedroom was. All I knew was that it was too fucking far away.

  Grasping her under her arms, I lifted Hope onto the counter as I continued to kiss her. She broke our kiss with a soft squeal. “Ryan, what are you doing?”

  My lips cruised across her jaw to her neck, not breaking rhythm. Finding a soft bit of tissue, I nipped it gently with my teeth then sucked it into my mouth to sooth it with my tongue. I released it with a groan and breathed roughly into her ear. “Just getting to know you, beautiful.”

  “Oh. Okay. I just thought…” She trailed off with a groan as I nibbled on her ear lobe.

  “What did you think, Hope? Clearly I’m not doing my job well enough if you still have thoughts circling around.” After splaying her thighs wider, I hooked my hands in her back pockets and slid her bottom closer to me until I could feel that welcoming heat that her jeans couldn’t hide.

  Hope groaned, her head falling backward. She didn’t say another word, but she not-so-subtly thrusted her hips and grounded her center into my hard cock. I definitely had her attention now.

  “Before we get too far, beautiful, do you have a roommate?”

  “Huh?” Hope stared back at me with hazy eyes before biting her bottom lip to muffle her groan.

  “Roommate? Someone who wouldn’t be thrilled with the way we’re defiling your countertop? Someone who might walk in on us at any second?”

  “No. No, I live alone.”

  “Fan-fucking-tastic. Let’s get this party started then.”

  Hope gave a gasping laugh. “I don’t know about you, but I’m halfway there already. This party is almost done.”

  “Aww, you’re sweet. You think you’re gonna be done after one orgasm? We got all night, beautiful. Better buckle up.” I smirked down at her just before I covered her lips with mine again. Hope groaned into my mouth and arched her hips against mine. Christ, this woman was primed like a rocket. We hadn’t even removed the first piece of clothing and she was ready to go off. Who had she been sleeping with? Someone who didn’t know fuck all about women. Or their bodies. Or orgasms.

  Hope’s hands fisted in my shirt, tugging me closer to her as she rocked her lower body against mine. My dick felt so hard, the harsh material of my jeans bit into me. But I didn’t complain. I had a hot, eager woman grinding against me. I would happily take this pleasure-pain feeling for the rest of my life. Fuck food and shelter—this was all I needed to get through life.

  I broke our kiss to breathe hotly into her ear. She was close. I could feel it. I bit down on her ear lobe just as she arched her body into me and she broke. She gave a sharp, keening cry as shudders quaked through her body. I wrapped my arms around her and let her hold onto me as she came down.

  After a few moments, Hope gave another, almost sad squawk and burrowed her face in my chest with a muttered, “Oh god.”

  “My name’s Ryan, but it’s all right with me if you wanna think of me as god-like.”

  Hope groaned again but didn’t look up.

  “I’m starting to feel a little self-conscious here, beautiful. Is there something on my face? Do I have a bat in the cave or something?”

  Hope snorted. “No.”

  But she still wouldn’t look up.

  “Are you okay? You didn’t pull something, did you?”

  “No.” She made that sad squawk again. “That so wasn’t on my sex bucket list.”

  I laughed. “Sex bucket list? What’s that?”

  “Oh my god.” Hope groaned and burrowed her face deeper into my shirt. “Did I say that out loud?”

  “Yup.” My shoulders shook with my suppressed laughter even as my dick throbbed impatiently. I don’t think I’d ever had so much fun while dealing with a hard-on. “What’s a sex bucket list?”

  “Just a mental list of all the sex stuff I’ve missed out on while being a responsible adult.”

  “And I’m not on it?” I wasn’t sure if I should’ve been insulted or not.

  Hope pulled away and gave me an indignant glare. “Of course you’re on it. I mean look at you. But that—what we just did on my countertop wasn’t. I feel so stupid.”

  I blinked. “Stupid? About what?”

  “I’m still wearing all my clothes—even my shoes for crying out loud—and I just dry humped you to orgasm like a high schooler with her first boyfriend.”

  I snorted. “Well I think it was fucking hot. And just imagine what it’ll be like when we finally take our clothes off. I’m kinda surprised they didn’t singe off with all that heat burning between us.”

  She blinked up at me with her large, doe eyes, that uncertainty still swimming there. “Really?”

  “Yes, Hope. And if you’re up for it, I’d really love to help you out with that sex bucket list somewhere a little more comfortable.” I leaned down and gave her a soft peck to the tip of her nose. “Show me to your bedroom?”

  Chapter 4

  Hope

  My earlier embarrassment fled as I gave Ryan a smile. His words bolstered me, and my confidence returned. I still couldn’t believe I’d done that there with him, but now I felt kinda proud. We might have just gone after each other like teenagers, but I was having my first one-night stand, and our chemistry was explosive. If that was what he was capable of with all our clothes on, I didn’t know if I’d be able to handle the next part.

  But I was dying to find out.

  Hopping off the countertop, I grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the kitchen. My heartbeat had slowed coming down off my orgasm, and now my body was all loose-limbed and languid. I felt sexy a. f. as I led him down the short hall to my bedroom. Giving him a sultry smile, I opened my bedroom door.

  “This is it,” I said as I stood in the doorway.

  Ryan’s arms wrapped around my waist and I leaned back into him as he nuzzled the side of my neck.

  “I’m sure it’s nice, beautiful, but I don’t give a fuck if you have a waterbed or a bunk bed. I just wanna get you horizontal and these fucking jeans off me.”

 
I closed my eyes as shivers from his naughty lips shook my body. I had a feeling he’d be so hot and sexy and just…wow. I had no idea he’d be such a sweetheart though. Between this and how he’d talked me down from my freak-out earlier, I would’ve been eager to take my pants off—if I wasn’t already eager to take my pants off.

  “So, can I come in?” Ryan asked, his words muffled by my neck.

  “What? Are you a vampire or something? I’m getting a little nervous with your neck fixation and constant need for permission to enter buildings and rooms.”

  “One, it’s just good manners. My Aunt Wendy raised me right. Two, I love the little shimmy your body does when I do this to your neck.” His lips cruised up my neck then he nibbled at a little spot just below my ear, and my whole body shook. Ryan’s quiet laughter had me smiling in response. “And three, you’re kinda standing in the doorway.”

  “Oh! Right.” I jumped away from him like he’d tapped me with a cattle prod. “I didn’t realize—”

  “Hey, get back here.” Ryan grabbed me by a belt loop and pulled me back until my butt nestled against his hardness. “I didn’t say that to be an ass. I was teasing. And I was kinda hoping it would move us in the direction of the bed, but I don’t give a fuck where we are. We can neck all night in your bedroom doorway if you want.”

  And he nuzzled my neck to prove his point. God, he was so freaking good at that. He could probably make me come with just his lips on my neck alone. Check that. He’d already made me come that way. It would’ve been so easy to just lean in and let him, but I wanted more.

  I wanted everything.

  I wanted my freaking one-night stand.

  I pulled away with a soft laugh. “We better get to the bed before I lose the ability to use my knees.”

  “Lead the way.”

  I rolled my eyes, grabbed his hand, and pulled him toward the bed. Turning, I sat on the edge of the bed and eyed Ryan expectantly. How did I do this again?

  Ryan chuckled as he toed off his work boots. They fell to the floor with a thump. “You should see your face right now.”

  “Do I look freaked? Because I feel kinda freaked. I don’t know how to do this. I mean, I’ve done this before—just not this this, ya know?”

  “Hey, hey.” Ryan sat next to me on the edge of the bed. “There’s no right way or wrong way to do this. There’s no game plan or checklist or whatever. We just do whatever feels right, whatever you want.”

  “Okay.” I gave a shuddering sigh as I looked into his gorgeous eyes. “Then I want you to kiss me.”

  “Maybe we should—”

  “No. You said whatever feels right. And it always feels right when you kiss me.” I leaned into him and his arm came around my shoulders and settled in a way that just…felt right. “Please.”

  Ryan groaned. “Christ. You have no idea what it does to me when you bring out the eyes. You could ask me anything, and I’d probably do it.”

  “Then kiss me already.”

  He leaned toward me, his lips hovering over mine, and then he whispered, “As long as you promise to only use your powers for good.”

  “No promises,” I whispered back.

  Ryan’s eyes flared and he groaned. “Fuck me.”

  Then his lips covered mine, and I lost the ability to think. All I could do was feel. His amazing lips. The way his hair felt in my hands because I had to hold him somewhere. The way my heart raced when he suckled on my tongue.

  Minutes later I was the one tugging frantically at his clothing because I had to feel him. Everywhere.

  Ryan’s laugh was husky in my ear and made me want to moan. “I think the only thing hotter than your gorgeous eyes is how eager you are right now.”

  I swung my leg over his hips so I could straddle him. Looking into his eyes, I smiled wickedly.

  Ryan cleared his throat unevenly. “Uh, I stand corrected. Apparently you can get way hotter.”

  The power I felt in that moment… The fact that I had this man, this crazy hot guy, so worked up and just willing to do anything that I wanted? I think I could’ve come from that thought alone.

  Then I pulled his shirt up and over his head.

  Or maybe the view of his hard, tattooed body would send me over the edge.

  I ran an appreciative hand over the art covering his chest and arms. The heart on his left pec with “family” written in script. The flamed motorcycle racing down his arm. And the muscles. Sweet baby Jesus, the muscles! He had so many muscles I couldn’t even…

  He took advantage of my temporary paralysis and tugged my shirt up and over my head. A reverent expression stole across his face. “Ah, Hope. You’re just…”

  He trailed off in a groan before he took my lips again in a harsh, hungry kiss.

  I ached to feel those lips on my nipples. Unconsciously arching toward him, I moaned into his mouth. Finally I couldn’t take it anymore. I reached behind me to unclasp my bra but my fingers were swiftly batted away by Ryan’s. He made quick work of the clasp and then my bra was falling down my arms, baring me to Ryan’s hungry eyes.

  “Christ, they’re even more gorgeous than I imagined.” He lifted a hand and cupped the underside of my left breast.

  My cheeks heated with his compliment. Or the contact. I didn’t know which. I bit my lip and looked down at where his tanned, calloused fingers held my pale breast. “You’ve been thinking about my boobs for a while?”

  Ryan groaned and brushed his stubbled cheek against my nipple. “All night. And occasionally when I was alone the last few months. I couldn’t get you out of my head after that first night. How you looked. That scent. The way your voice sounded.”

  “And my boobs?” I teased. But still, I was caught by the way he remembered me. I’d had such an impact on him that he thought about me, too?

  “There’s no way to get these babies out of my mind.” Ryan murmured as he rasped his cheek against my hard nipple again. Then he finally stopped teasing me and gave what I craved. He captured the tip of my breast in his mouth and suckled hard.

  And I melted. I think I groaned or something. I know I burrowed a hand into his hair and held him against me. Like I was afraid he’d try to get away.

  Ryan pulled back—as much as my greedy hands would let him—and blew gently on my wet nipple before turning his head and laving attention on my other, poor, neglected tip.

  I closed my eyes and let my head fall back as the sensations shrouded me. I wanted more. I wanted deeper. I wanted him all. My thighs clenched and I was seconds away from my second orgasm of the night when Ryan pulled away with a groan.

  “Shit, beautiful.” His breath was warm against my shoulder. “You keep grinding on me like that and this show is gonna be over before I even get out of my pants.”

  I rolled my eyes then twisted my body until I could fall safely onto the mattress. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

  Ryan looked at me over his shoulder before shaking his head. He stood up and shucked his jeans down his legs, kicking them out of the way. After grabbing his wallet from the tangled mess, he tossed it on my nightstand then crawled up my body. With his own wicked grin, he rested between my splayed jean clad legs. “You’re not the one who’d have to do the walk of shame in jizz-spotted jeans.”

  “Touché.” I laughed.

  “Now where were we?” Ryan murmured just before flicking one of my hard, aching nipples.

  “Well, I was about a second from orgasming, and you were being mean.” I blinked innocently up at him, using my eyes with their full power and no shame.

  Ryan groaned and burrowed his face into my neck. “Now I feel bad.”

  “You should. I’m the one with blue balls over here.”

  He sat up with an indignant frown. “Seriously? You’ve already had one orgasm tonight? Who really is the one with blue balls here?”

  “Fine,” I muttered with a fake pout. “Would you at least take these itchy pants off me? If you’re going to be on top of me, I wanna be able to feel every in
ch of you.”

  His wicked smile returned. “Oh, I guarantee you’re gonna feel every goddamn inch I got.”

  I shivered at the promise in his eyes. I believed him.

  And I couldn’t wait.

  He made quick work of my shoes and jeans. I swear, I blinked and they were gone. But Ryan lingered over my silky panties. His blunt forefinger traced over the large heart pattern. I felt that caress all the way to my toes. I bit my lip and groaned. It felt like too much and not nearly enough all at once.

  Ryan tossed me a knowing smirk then slowly ran his finger up and down the junction of my thighs, still covered by my panties. He leisurely explored every fold, stopping here and there to press over the same stop twice, three times, and just when I was getting into his rhythm, he’d change it and move. Never once letting me fully enjoy his touch or a freaking orgasm.

  I practically growled in frustration.

  Ryan’s lips twitched like he was holding back a laugh and then he slipped his fingers under my panties and suddenly neither one of us was laughing. His clever fingers slid between my folds and found my hard, aching clit. I groaned and arched into his hand. Ryan’s fingers caressed me in a way I’d never felt before. A jolt of electricity arced through my body. I gasped. He did it again. And I came.

  Not a single inch of him inside me. Just his fingers trapped between my panties and my clit and I came. My head was spinning. I held my breath as my body shuddered. A volcanic explosion of sensation course through my body until finally I lay beside him, unable to think or move.

  I was done.

  After a moment Ryan moved to free his hand and I groaned as an aftershock quaked through my body. I curled up on my side away from him. “No more. Please.”

  He laughed. “Fuck. You are so fucking hot. I don’t think I’ve ever been so turned on.” His lips pressed against the back of my neck and I shivered. “You are so goddamn explosive. It’s sexy as hell.”

  Despite my slight—seriously slight—discomfort, I grinned into the sheets under us. I had to admit it felt good to hear him say that. And with a protracted moan, I rolled over on my back. “I feel bad.”