Only Skin Deep (7 page)

“Don’t
fire me,”
Nadja
muttered, sliding off the barstool
and walking over to him.

“Smart girl.”
He pressed a hand at the small of her back,
drawing her into his embrace. “Firing you is the last thing on my mind.”

“What’s
the first?”

“This.”
Her scent had been driving him insane all night. The urge to taste her now won
as he parted her mouth with his own, sliding his tongue in to taste her spicy
essence. Sweet and supple, she tasted of heaven on a warm sunny day. He groaned
and wrapped his arms tighter about her, pushing deeper, sealing her taste to
memory. Her haggard breathing told him she hungered. Slender arms gripped his
own. The background faded, leaving just her. “I can’t believe you tossed a
drink at me,” he murmured, breaking off the kiss.

“I’m—”

“
Shh
. You’re not sorry. I saw it in your face.” He nipped
her lip and rubbed her back, his hand dangerously close to gripping her sweet
ass. Remembering they were at work had a sobering effect. He damned his libido
and stepped away from her, but not before he made sure she knew how much he
wanted her. There.
Right now.
Stepping away, he
noticed they’d drawn attention again. Twice in one night he’d put her in the
spotlight, and not the one on stage. A private man, he disliked public displays
of affection or altercation. He dropped his hand.

“
Donato
.”

“When
you’re ready to go, have them call me. I have business to attend to.” Clearing
his head came first, and then he’d figure out what to do with
Nadja
, besides designing a strategy to possess every inch
of her delectable body. If the rest of her tasted like her sweet mouth, he was
done for.

“I’ll
be ready as soon as I change,” she replied softly.

Donato
nodded and moved out of her way.

Damn.

Watching
her saunter away in the form-fitting dress taxed the last of his control. He
let out a breath and tapped the bar.
“Micah, a shot of
whiskey.”

“Sure thing.”

He
took the drink and tossed it down the hatch. The burn didn’t kill his raging
hard-on for
Nadja
, but it helped him get perspective.
“Tomas.
Can you lock up tonight?”

“Not
a problem.
You leaving
early?”

“Yeah.
If there’s something you can’t handle, call my cell.”

“Boss,
who do you think handled the bar while you were serving our country?

“Guess
that’s a valid point.”

“No
shit.
You seeing
the ice princess home?”

“Watch
your mouth, and yes, no need for you to tail her tonight or have the cops do
it.”

The
response to his last order was a chuckle over the
mic
.
He grunted, clicking off his earpiece, and headed to his office to gather his
things. He couldn’t get the kiss out of his mind, or her hesitant acceptance of
his takeover. One thing was for damned sure—he’d have to modify his personal
rules on dating employees.

After
powering down his laptop and placing his
mic
and
earpiece in their protective case, he locked up.
Nadja
waited for him at his door in the outfit she'd been wearing when he'd arrived.
The shorts and shirt showed more skin than the sexy dress she’d worn earlier.
“Ready, doll?”

“Yeah.”

Chapter Two

Her
nervousness was cute. He offered a smile. One she obviously took as
non-predatory, as she relaxed and slid her hand into his. “I noticed your car
wasn’t in the lot, so I figured it’s over at
Deja’s
.
I’ll take you to your car and then follow you home.” When she agreed, he winked
at her and led her to his Hummer. Buckled up and ready to go, he took her to
Deja’s
shop and helped her to her car. The parking lot was
lit well. Still, at one in the morning, no woman should be left by herself.

Donato
waited for her car to enter traffic before he followed
her. Little to no vehicles drove down the quiet streets. Stoplights worked for
him instead of against him. He’d have caught up if needed but took pleasure in
reminding her he was hot on her tail. When she parked, he sidled in behind her.

“Oh!
I didn’t know you were going to follow me to the door.”
Nadja
locked her car door.

“We
have unfinished business.”
Donato
swatted her ass and
followed her up the path to her door.

“Um,
are you sure coming in is a good idea?”

“It
is unless you’re into exhibitionism.” He grinned when she dropped her keys and
bent to pick them up for her. “I was teasing…sort of.” He’d never classified a
glare as sexy till just then. As she stomped up the rest of the way, he kept on
her heels. At the door, he gripped her arm and spun her around to face him.
“I’d never hurt you,
Nadja
.” Releasing her, he took
the keys from her loose grasp and opened her door.

“I
feel deep down you wouldn’t. Please come in.” She entered her home and stepped
aside to allow him in. “Make
yourself
comfortable.
I’ll be right back.”

Donato
inspected her décor.
Warm but not
too feminine.
The baby grand tucked in the corner of her living room fit
her personality, as did the cluttered sheets of paper all around it. The
electronic synthesizer, he assumed, was for writing her music onto CDs.

Impressed,
he took a seat on the couch and picked up a women’s magazine. Not interested in
the top ten ways to lose weight, he grabbed the pile and found three of the
biggest sports magazines on the market. They were all current too.
Hot damn.
He’d
found a redeeming quality for her current attitude.

Leaning
back, he hit the edge of something in the couch and turned to pull the item
poking him out of its hiding spot.
How to Seduce Your Man.
Interesting.
No doubt she was on the phone, judging from the hushed voice he
heard in the background, so he thumbed through the book and slid it back out of
sight. Why would such a beautiful woman need a self-help book on seduction? He
spied other magazines holding advice on pleasing or catering to men.

A
glass case filled with trophies on the left side of her living room caught his
gaze. He stood and walked over. Tae Kwon Do, swimming, soccer, basketball,
softball and football awards stared at him, gleaming as if polished daily. He
replayed the sports in his mind, and then looked again. Football seemed out of
place for a girl to trophy in. He surmised it must be a school trophy or a
souvenir. Her name didn’t grace the front as it did on all the other ones.

“Sorry
about that,
Taleena
was apologizing for not being at
the club tonight.”

Donato
walked back over to her couch. “She and Jason get
caught up?”

“Yeah.
He apparently had other plans.” She sat down on the
edge of a cushion. “Would you like a tour?”

“No,
thank you. Come here.” He patted his leg with a smile. The sight of her long
legs straddling him brought him to half-mast for the second time that night.
“So
sweet,
and lovely. Skin so smooth should be a
crime. There’s an exotic air about you I can’t place. Your hazel eye color is
mesmerizing. But it’s the faint accent you hide so well that drives me wild,”
he said as he caressed her thigh and rested his hand on her hip.

“I
get it from my mama. She’s Brazilian and my father is black. Everyone has an
accent.” Heat radiated from her core onto his crotch.

“It’s
beautiful.” He was silent a moment before speaking. “I haven’t got you figured
out yet. Something’s missing.”

She
went stock still at his words. Intrigued, he studied her thawing composure,
hurt mixed with confusion, all written across her face.

“You
saw me home. You don’t have to stay,” she whispered and looked away from him.

“
Nadja
.
I’m here because I
want
to be. Why would I leave?” He
stroked her back in an effort to loosen up her tense body. His dick screamed at
him to get her naked. His brain, on the other hand, told him they needed to
have a short chat before he could slide into her sweet-smelling pussy.

“I’m
not—never mind.”

“What
is it?
Hmm.
I’m a patient man, and we have all night.”
He tapped her
mons
over her shorts and pinched her nub.
Through the fabric he could feel her contract. At her indrawn breath, he knew
he had her.

“You
don’t play fair.”

“I
don’t like waiting for answers.”

“You’re
intrusive.”
Nadja
wiggled on his lap.

“Part of my charm. “

“Can’t
we just get on with it?” She pouted and rubbed brazenly on him, slipping her
arms around his neck and pressing her breasts against his chest.

“Is
that what you want?
To be dicked down, a one-night stand?”

“That’s
vulgar.”

“Doll
face, we’ve been dancing in the same circle for over a year, longer if you
count my visits home from abroad. Your choice is a quickie right here, right
now, or communicating and receiving more than a simple fuck.”

Unclasping
her halter top, he grazed her neck with his stubble. “Don’t think too long on
it, doll.”

“I’m
not sexy,” she snapped and rose up to climb off his lap.

“You
expect me to believe that?” he quipped, jerking her back down, his finger
stroking her side.

“I
don’t rightly care what you fucking think.”

He
liked her hissing like a mad kitten. So much spark and fire added to the lively
woman he hoped to unleash before the night was over. “Anger becomes you.
Apparently there’s a raw nerve there. Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why
aren’t you sexy?”

“Why
are you an asshole?”

Donato
took pleasure in knocking the ice princess status
off her. He wanted her riled up and admired the gumption it took for her to
yell at him. Seconds passed as he waited for her to strike him or scratch his
eyes out, but she didn’t. She just let those smoldering orbs flash at him. With
the stubborn tilt of her chin, he surmised she was having a hard time picking
her words. He slipped his finger under the hem of her short shorts to her wet
heat. Sliding a finger into the tight space, he wiggled and withdrew, sticking
the digit in his mouth.
“Tastes damn deliciously sexy if you
ask me.”

“You
don’t have to be cruel.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “Every guy I’ve dated
has dumped me for my lack of being feminine.”

Donato
froze at the sight of the dam bursting, tears he
wasn’t prepared for. But the pain that lurked in the shadows behind them bowled
him over, a direct punch to his gut. “Tell me.” He kissed her neck and
continued to caress her body. How she believed she held no sex appeal he
couldn’t fathom.

“I
wear hockey jerseys to bed, not lingerie. I scream at the television when a ref
screws up a call. I know football, baseball and basketball stats. I’d rather
eat a loaded dog at the ballpark than go out to a romantic dinner. I’m not the
typical woman. I enjoy lounging in sweats and T-shirts at home.”

“I
imagine you can cuss like a sailor too. Will you marry me?”He brushed her tears
from her eyes, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her lips.
“There’s nothing unsexy about that. So what if your hobby is sports?
So’s
mine.
It’s my luck the losers let you get away. You have a sexy body, and now that I
see what you’ve been hiding, you’re even sexier. You have guts and a fiery
spirit. Any other secrets or deviant behaviors I should know about besides your
drink-hurling abilities?”

Nadja
sniffled. “You’ll still date me?”

“Woman,
unless you’re an axe murderer, I’m gonna marry you one day,” he cajoled. Her
vulnerable expression softened him even more toward her. She’d been burned
badly, but he’d make for damn sure she never suffered those feelings again.

“I
have one more secret.” She burrowed her face into his shoulder. “And certain
qualities possibly construed as bad or trying.”

“Hmm?”

“I
drink beer—out of the bottle.”

“So
do
I. Perfect waste of a chilled glass to do
otherwise.” He slid one hand through her thick tresses, massaging her scalp
while placing kisses on her nape. “Now feel free to talk dirty to me. ‘Batter
up’ will get me hard fast.”

“Really?”
Her face brightened up.

“Yeah,
you prefer wood or steel?” He stood up with her in his arms and carried her
through her house. The time for talking had passed. The time for showing and
exploring had come. “Tell me where.”

“End
of the hall, right side.” As she gave directions, he moved and opened the door
to her bedroom. He grinned big upon seeing the California king platform bed.
“Now that’s a bed.”

He
dropped her onto the mattress and proceeded to strip each article of clothing
from her, stopping only to pay homage to each body part he bared for their
combined pleasure.
Hers in being touched, his in doing the
exploring.
“So beautiful.”
He bent and placed
his lips on her thigh. “
Been wanting
to lick you all
night.” After blowing at her core, he buried his face in her sex, stabbing with
his tongue to create a burning storm within her. Hands splayed on her thighs,
he spread them wider, inhaling, sucking, teasing and licking to his desire.