Decadent (14 page)

Was she serious? “That proves you know jack shit, kitten.” She planted a hand on her hip and sent him a challenging stare. “I’ve been down this road. More than once. You don’t have to shield me from the truth. I can take it.” Suddenly, Deke wanted to pound the face of every high school creep who’d made her feel less than female. But it was an out, an easy one. Letting her believe the lie 122

would get him off the hook. But it would be chicken shit. And he couldn’t hurt her on purpose.

He sighed, defeated. “Have I done anything yet to baby your feelings?” Kimber hesitated. “No.”

“Exactly. I wouldn’t pretend you turned me on if you didn’t. And this shit about you not being…feminine enough. It’s crap. It isn’t makeup and giggling that makes a woman. It’s her smarts, her moxie, the way her sexuality flows through her.”

“What are you saying?”

Reaching for her hand, he squeezed it. “You’ve got it all, kitten. I like that you’re straightforward. You don’t get freaked out by my profession. You’ve got a killer sense of humor when you’re not tense. If I’m grouchy, it’s because you turn me on
too
much.”

Shayla Black Decadent

“Too much?” Skepticism shot from her hazel eyes. “You want
me
too much?

Tugging on her hand, he draped it across his fly, covering the unflagging erection he had whenever she came within ten feet of him. “Does it feel like I’m lying?” Through his sweatshorts, she gripped him, stroked her nimble fingers up and down his rigid length. “No.”

Deke grabbed her wrist to stop her. Between his crazy urge to hold her and the lust she was inciting with her every touch, she was treading dangerous water.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish.”

With her free hand, she grabbed at his shorts and began to push them down. “I can finish you. Didn’t I do it last night?”

Her mouth. Oh, hell. Yes, she’d totally finished him. The wet, silky heaven had 123

been paradise. Luc had told her exactly how to unravel him, and she had. Slow, hard, a little bite—and he’d been a goner. The thought that she might do it again, here and now, made his cock pulse under her hand. She gripped him even harder in answer.

He grabbed her fingers, which were pushing at his shorts, with his free hand and his last bit of wits. “Don’t.”

Kimber didn’t pause. She stopped and jerked her hands away. “You want me but you don’t want me to touch you? And since when does a man who wants a woman too much turn down a blow job?”

“If you push me right now, I’ll want more.”

“What does that mean?” she snapped.

Shayla Black Decadent

“Your virginity is off limits. Don’t test me, or you’ll find yourself naked and impaled on my cock. It’s all I can fucking think about. If I get inside you, I’ll stay inside you—all damn day if you let me. And I’ll come back for more tonight. And Luc will want to be next in line.”

A sharp intake of breath. A sudden flush staining her cheeks. A softening of her combative posture. “Oh.”

“I’m on a short leash, so I’d get the hell away from me if I were you.” But Kimber didn’t move. For a long moment, she just stared at him. Deke resisted the urge to squirm uncomfortably. There was something going on in that pretty head of hers. God help them both if she gave any indication that she wanted to have sex with him. He didn’t have much self-control left. He’d drag her back to Luc’s bed, wake his cousin up and…do something he’d regret.

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A long silence later, she stepped closer, placing her hands on his shoulders and stepping on her tiptoes to reach him. She settled her lips over his and gave him a soft, almost chaste kiss.

“You didn’t want to admit any of that, but you did it to spare my feelings.” Perceptive. He’d give her that.

“That’s really…decent of you. You could have let me believe I wasn’t feminine enough for you, but you didn’t take the easy way out.” A relieved grin broke out across her face. “Thank you. I really respect that.” Deke shrugged. He was stupidly pleased to have put a smile on her face. “Just being fair.”

“I should be fair, too, and admit that I’m off balance. You and Luc are a potent pair. Both of you turn me on, but”—she released a shaky breath—“I respond to you Shayla Black Decadent a lot more than I thought I would. When you touch me, I melt and ache. I’ve never felt this way.”

He got to her, more than Luc? More than Jesse? Euphoria and lust blasted him in a potent combination, raced through his veins like a drug. In the snap of a finger, he was high on Kimber.

Shit
. He shouldn’t. He knew he shouldn’t—
Too late.

Deke was already grabbing her, thrusting his fingers into her hair, cupping her jaw, then dropping his head to ravage her mouth. With a little gasp, she opened to him, met his possessive kiss.

Curling his tongue around hers, he breathed in her heat, swallowed her moan. He held her tight. And his brain began to shut down.

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Now. Sooner than now.
He had to taste her, be as close as possible. Deep, deep into her mouth. Her flavor knocked him on his ass. Like heaven.

Then she molded her body against his, arched into him and pressed those sweet breasts right against him.
Touch them.
He had to.
Get them bare.

With one hand, he swept her tank strap down one shoulder, then the other. He pushed it low enough to free her breasts and run his palms over the firm mounds.

Not large, not small. Just right. And those nipples, hard. Always ready for his mouth.
His
.
Soon…

Focusing on the remaining barriers, Deke yanked the tank down her waist, then grabbing the waistband of her shorts and panties, dragged it all down her hips and legs.
Naked. Perfect.
Boiling him with want.

Shayla Black Decadent Raking a pair of fingers through her slit, Deke confirmed his suspicion. She was wet. Very wet. Hard breathing, eyes dilated and begging, she gripped his shirt in desperate fists. Thank God she was aroused. So was he.

Deke lifted her by the waist, ignoring her gasp, and set her on the kitchen table.

He’d fantasized many times about having her spread across it like his next meal, his sustenance. The reality ratcheted up his need. His heartbeat soared. His cock throbbed.

Pulling his shirt over his head, he tossed it away. Then, chest heaving, he pushed his shorts down his legs until Kimber could see nothing of him but bare skin and naked want. With rapt eyes, she took him in, unblinking, unwavering.

Unbelievable
.

Gripping her thighs, he dragged her hips to the edge of the table and leaned over 126

her, blanketing his body with hers. Searing heat. Peachy, sugary smell. She drove him insane. His gaze sought hers. Found it. Wide, aroused, trusting. Want seared him, sizzling his blood. On fire.
Touch her.
He had to. He kissed her flat belly, dipped his tongue in her navel. She sucked in a breath. He stepped closer, so near her heat.

She spread her legs wider, gaze still clinging to him. Silent, open, drowning in want.

Her nipples were hard. Standing up, thick and swollen.

Irresistible. He swooped down and took one in his mouth. Devouring it.
Like
candy.
Better, actually. He swiped his tongue over it, nipping the tender flesh when it hardened even more.
Hmm. Perfect
.

Kimber panted, little whimpering sounds peppering the air as she curled her hands around his head, trying to get her fingers in his military-short hair and tug him closer.

“Deke…”

Shayla Black Decadent That note in her voice, pleading. It forced him to look up again. Her stare singed him.

Claim her mouth.
Her sweet kiss, all accepting and impassioned, kicked him with another jolt of lust.

Fuck. Her. Now
. He enveloped her hips in his hands, loving the way his palms nearly swallowed her, the way she was open to him, and he could see the wet, welcoming cream of her pussy, her swollen folds. Taking himself in hand, he positioned his cock against her entrance.

Steamy. Hot. She scalded the head of his cock as he savored the moment before he’d push into her, make her his. Jesus, he was shaking. Desire piled on top of desperate need, wrapped in the harsh demands of his body. And something else…

Take her. Claim her
.

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“Deke,” she pleaded, both for him to push forward—and to stop.

Stop? No. Hell no!
Why should he stop?

Because he shouldn’t do this. To her. To himself. The reason escaped him. She was open, wet, laid out on his table like a freakin’ banquet of delight, eyes shining.

With tears.

Tears?
The sight, the question, snapped him out of his lust induced haze.

He looked around. Clothes strewn across the floor. Sunlight filtering in through wide-open windows, slanting across her breasts. She was spread out across the same damn table they’d eaten dinner on.

She was a virgin.

Shayla Black Decadent He swallowed, knowing he should back off, leave her the hell alone. Right now, he was one thrust from changing their lives forever.

Maybe…maybe it would be different this time. Kimber wasn’t a teenager. She wasn’t from a troubled family. She wasn’t Heather. If he thrust into her, she’d be his.
His
. Completely. His to hold on bad days, his to share smiles with, his to surprise, to tease, to please, to fuck…

His to care for if something went horribly wrong. The lust jacking up his system iced over at that thought. He took a half step back.

“Weren’t you going to stop me?” His voice creaked. For chrissake, he sounded like he was a hundred.

Kimber hesitated. “Yes.”

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But he wasn’t convinced. “When?”

“Well, I—I meant to. I tried.”

Deke pulled up his shorts, tucking his erection back inside with a grimace. “Do you actually love this pop star you’re chasing?” A blink. A glance away. A boulder of unease settled in his gut. Was she skittish because she didn’t love McCall or because she was trying not to throw her feelings for the pop star up in Deke’s face? She sat up, covered herself with her arms, drawing her legs up to her chest. “Would I be here trying to learn all this if I didn’t?”

“Only you know why you’re really here. But I know you don’t comprehend the fire you’re playing with, little girl. Next time, say no. If Luc had been here, I might not have stopped. Next time, I might fuck you—and fuck the consequences.” Shayla Black Decadent

#

Late that night, Kimber dozed on Luc’s shoulder while they snuggled to an old black-and-white classic. His warmth curled around her. Safe. Comforting. By unspoken agreement, they didn’t discuss Deke, but her thoughts kept drifting back to him. Where was he?

Somewhere in the house, a door slammed. The sound jerked her fully awake.

Sitting up with a yawn and a stretch, she looked around in confusion. Still just Luc and the old movie.

“Kimber!” A voice bellowed. Then she heard stomping in the rest of the house.

A bolt of gladness and relief struck her. “Deke?” She had only to say his name once and he appeared in the doorframe, filling the 129

space with his massive shoulders and huge presence. His breath rose and fell in heavy, angry pants. He swayed on his feet. Those blue eyes of his zeroed in on her wrapped in Luc’s arms. They stripped her clothes off with a glance. Immediately, her nipples beaded. She swallowed.

“You’re drunk,” Luc bit out in disapproval beside her.

“I wish. But not for lack of trying. If I was, I could have drowned out all desire to touch her.” Deke pinned Kimber to the sofa with a hot stare. “Then I could have passed out into oblivion without needing to feel her around my cock.” Kimber’s stomach clenched at his words. So did her sex. Why did this man get to her, despite being so dangerous and difficult, so angry? Luc was gentle and understanding, charming, seductive, talented. The desire he roused was gentle and beautiful.

Shayla Black Decadent And nothing like the hot blast of need that scalded her every time she experienced Deke’s demanding caress.

“Not when you’re in this mood.” Luc stood and crossed his arms, half standing in front of her protectively. “You know what we had planned next, and you’re in no shape to carry it out. You’ll hurt her.”

“I won’t.” He stared, then sent her a smile that glittered with danger. “Look at her.

Those pretty nipples are hard. Her hot hazel eyes are eating me up. And her pussy…”

Deke pushed past Luc in the small den and fell to his knees. Before Kimber had any idea what he had planned, Deke had pushed up her miniskirt and ripped out the crotch of her panties.

“Damn things,” he muttered. “Naked. You should always be naked.” 130

“But—”

He spread her legs wide, slammed two fingers inside her wet sex, and bent his head to her clit, consuming her in a devouring sweep of his tongue Moaning, she called out, “Deke!”

Immediately, fire sizzled down her legs, roaring into an inferno low in her belly.

Tight and aching, hot and out of control, the sensations slammed into her. She couldn’t breathe. Definitely couldn’t stop him.

Didn’t want to.

Kimber curled her fingers around his head and gasped. His greedy licks were shocking to her system. He was eating her alive—all her passion and yearning, all her doubts, hopes. Her indecision.

Shayla Black Decadent Why did Deke reach her on such a deep level? Because she sensed he was wounded and wanted to heal him, as any nurse would? Why did he rule her body more than any other man? Why had some part of her fantasized about him, even before she understood sexual fantasies?

The question dissipated in her mind, dissolving like sugar in wine, as Deke’s fingertips stroked the sensitive bundle of nerves inside her. Luc sank onto the couch at her side and watched, arousal fierce across his face.

“I won’t let him hurt you.”

“He won’t,” she gasped.

“He’s arousing you?”

“Yes.” She threw back her head and closed her eyes. “Yes.” 131

Luc’s thumb suddenly swiped across one nipple as he pulled her summer top down, anchoring it beneath her breasts. “I’m going to arouse you, too, sweetheart.” His tongue flicked across the beads of her tight nipples, followed by a nip of his teeth. Deke mirrored the action, clamping down on her clit, then manipulating it with the tip of his tongue. Relentless, one swipe after the other, he made her burn.