Relentless (7 page)
Nikki shot him a sidelong glance. He didn’t seem like the type of man who’d wave the white flag, even if he was battered and bloody. Why was he conceding now? “Are you sure about that?”
He shrugged. “I want you; you want me. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Like you said, we’ll keep it simple. Sex, sex, and more sex.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “If you think you can handle it?”
She crossed her legs as his words pierced her target. “What are we waiting for, cowboy?”
J.T. lived his life by one rule: never surrender. Whether he was with a woman or fighting for his life on the back of a bull, he was the one in control, always. Nikki may have felt the balance of power shift, but he was going to prove to her once the pendulum swung back his way, he played for keeps.
He let the tension build as they walked from the elevator to his hotel room in silence. He was always just a step behind her, close enough for her to feel his hot breath fanning her neck, but the subtle scent of her spicy fragrance was wreaking havoc with his plan to initiate her slowly.
Once inside the room, he turned the lock, the ominous sound letting her know he wasn’t going to allow her to escape this time.
Her eyes glided over his body before finally settling on his face. “How do you see this playing out?”
Excitement, followed by trepidation flared in her eyes, and he knew she was questioning whether she was really brave enough to take him on. “How do you want it to play out, sweetness?”
She licked her lips, her eyes shifting between his eyes and mouth. “I thought you liked to call the shots?”
He was calling the shots; she just didn’t realize it yet. “Why don’t you tell me what you had in mind?”
“I didn’t think you were the kind of man who needed instructions.”
He leaned against the door, folding his arms over his chest. His slow perusal of her body, from the red, fitted shirt, to the tight faded jeans tucked into black leather boots, let her know it was taking everything in him not to grab her and show her who was boss.
No matter how brave she pretended to be, he knew his aggressiveness intimidated her. “I like to know what my woman wants.”
She crooked an eyebrow. “Your woman?”
“For tonight, at least.” He knew once he had her in his bed, at his mercy, there would be no turning back for either of them. He’d already berated himself ten ways to Sunday, but it didn’t change a damn thing. She was the wrong choice, for a dozen different reasons, her age, career, her father, his brother… yet, none of that mattered. He still wanted her in the worst possible way.
“You’re still willing to let me go without a fight come morning?” she asked, staring him down.
He smirked. “Honey, I’ve never had to beg for it a day in my life and I sure as hell ain’t gonna start now.” He pushed off the door, edging past her. “There’s the door; feel free to use it.”
She grabbed his bicep, turning him to face her. “What’s your deal, McCall? One minute, you’re hot to get me into bed, the next you’re runnin’ cold. Do you want me or not?”
You have no idea.
“I’m not gonna lie. You’re hot. I think we could have some fun together…”
She planted her hands on her slim hips and glared at him. “But?”
“You sure that’s all
you
want, just one night?” He loomed over her, his eyes falling to her chest.
He could see her heart was pounding, her breathing shallow, her words barely above a whisper when she finally said, “I don’t know what the hell I want from you, and that scares me.”
He smiled, smugly. She knew what she wanted, the same thing he did; she just wasn’t ready to admit it to him or herself yet. But she would be once he forced her to face her fears. He leaned in closer. “Tell me your deepest, darkest, dirtiest fantasy.”
Her eyes widened, and her pupils dilated. “What are you talking about? What kind of fantasy?”
“Anything, everything…” His fingertip drifted up her arm as her eyelids fluttered. “I’m open to whatever you have in mind.”
She sunk her teeth into her plump bottom lip, fixating on the buttons on his shirt instead of looking him in the eye. “Earlier you mentioned a threesome…”
He didn’t know if she was baiting him just to get a reaction, but if she was, it was working. “Anything except that.”
“I’m willing to bet you’ve done it before.” She tipped her head back. “But only with two women, huh?”
He fisted his hands at his sides, clenching his jaw as he spit out the words, “I have no interest in sharing you with another guy tonight, if that’s what you’re gettin’ at.”
She shrugged, looking as though she’d just proposed Sunday afternoon tea instead of no-holds-barred sex with not one, but two strange men. “You said anything goes. I just wanted to know if you were serious.”
“Is this a fantasy you’re hell bent on livin’ out?” he asked, the question burning like acid on his tongue. Just the thought of sharing her with another man lit a fire in his belly that consumed the modicum of civility his old man had drilled into him the hard way.
“It’s not the first time I’ve thought about it. Just haven’t met anyone who’s man enough to try it.”
Her defiance was going to be the death of him. “I’m sick of talkin’,” he growled. He ripped his shirt open, buttons pinging off the ceramic tiles in the small foyer. He toed his boots off as her eyes followed his swift movements.
She was getting nervous, apprehensive. She should be. She’d provoked him; now it was time for her to put up or shut up. “I, uh…”
“What’s wrong, darlin’?” He reached for his belt buckle. “All out of smart-ass remarks?”
She flattened her palm against his bare chest, taking a step back. “Maybe we should slow down.”
“What if I don’t wanna slow down, sugar?” He took one, two, three steps forward, flattening her back against the door. “What if I wanna show you how a pro rides?”
She swallowed convulsively, her hands wrapping around his wrists as he slid his heavy leather belt through the loops on his jeans. “I’m not sure…”
He grinned, snapping the belt between his hands. “Wonderin’ what I’m gonna do with this?” He knew he was scaring her. What she didn’t know was that he’d take a lashing before he would hurt her. If she knew that, he’d be as vulnerable as she was. He’d learned one lesson in life through trial and error: never relinquish the upper hand.
She pressed her hands into his chest. “Look, I’m not sure what your other girlfriends are into, but I like my pleasure straight up. I don’t need a shot of pain to get off.”
He trailed his index finger down her cheek. Her skin was so soft, like velvet. It made him ache to caress the rest of her body. “Is that so? You ever tried it?”
She shook her head.
“How do you know you wouldn’t like it, then?” He had delivered a few well-placed smacks on the ass, at a woman’s prodding, but he didn’t get off on administering pain.
She tipped her chin, looking him in the eye. “I’m not interested, period. You got a problem with that?”
He loved that her sweet vulnerability was hidden behind a tough, confident exterior. It made her all the more appealing, knowing she wasn’t afraid to stand up to him. “I got no problem with that, sugar. I’m only interested in giving you pleasure. If that doesn’t do it for you, I’m cool with that.” He chuckled when she breathed a sigh of relief. “Tell me what you do want, sweetheart.”
She glanced over his shoulder at the silk tie he’d discarded earlier. “I liked being tied up, but I want to touch you…” She slipped his shirt off, smiling. “You do have an amazing body, cowboy. Even better than I expected.”
He grinned, reveling in the feel of her soft hands caressing his bare chest. “I could say the same, sugar.”
“I meant it when I said I’ve thought about you a lot over the years.” A pretty pink blush crept up her neck, staining her cheeks. “You’re the one I think about when I’m…”
He leaned in, feathering soft kisses against her jawline, cheekbone, and temple. “I know, sweetness. I thought about you too. I kept telling myself I was one sick bastard, you were too damn young, but…”
She lifted her eyes to meet his. “Make no mistake; I’m not a little girl anymore.” She slid the tiny buttons free of their holes to reveal a silky, red demi-cup bra. “I’m all woman now, and I know what I want.”
His palms itched with the urge to touch her. “Really? What do you want right now, darlin’?”
“I want you.”
He slid the soft cotton over her shoulders, placing moist kisses along her collarbone. “I want you, too.”
“What happens between us remains between us, deal?”
He didn’t care who knew about them. If her father wanted to give him grief, he was man enough to take it. “I don’t kiss and tell, if that’s what you’re askin’.”
“Good.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, threading her fingers through his hair. “Just so we’re clear on that.”
He cupped her bottom, nudging her with his arousal. “But I’m not ashamed of what we’re about to do, Nik. I’m attracted to you, and I don’t give a damn who knows it.”
She closed her eyes, tipping her head back. “You don’t know my father. He wouldn’t be happy about this.”
Ty told him Luc and Nikki routinely went toe-to-toe, so he knew she wasn’t afraid to stand up to her old man. It irked him to think she didn’t consider him to be worth the effort. “I know him well enough. I know he doesn’t want you to get hurt.” He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, holding her head still. “And I’d never hurt you, so I don’t see why we should have a problem.”
She rolled her eyes. “He’d say you’re too old for me, too experienced…”
“He’d be right.” He smiled. “A sweet young thang like you has no business with a roughneck like me.”
She seemed offended by his choice of words. “How do you know I’m so sweet?”
“Honey, I’ve gotten pretty good at reading women over the years. You may think you’ve been around the block a time or two, but you haven’t seen nothin’ yet…”
She quirked an eyebrow as a smile played around her full lips. “That sounds like a threat, McCall.”
His hands spanned her waist. She was so damn tiny his fingertips almost met at her spine. It reminded him that, despite her tough exterior, she was defenseless against a man like him. “You afraid of me, darlin’?”
She tipped her head back to look him in the eye. “Should I be?”
“Never.” He leaned in to kiss her gently. “I’d never hurt you, baby.”
“I believe you,” she whispered, trailing kisses along his bristled jawline. “How’d we end up talking again? I thought you were ready to take action?”
He was more than ready. His hands slid down to unfasten her jeans. “As sexy as they are, you’re gonna have to kick those boots off for me, sugar.”
She braced a hand on his shoulder and reached down to slide the zippers down the inside of her calves. She carefully removed the boots and set them against the wall. Standing upright, she chuckled when she stared straight into the middle of his chest. “Okay, we may need to lie down to make this work.”
He quickly hoisted her over his shoulder, smacking her behind soundly.
“Hey,” she said, slapping his back. “What the hell was that for?”
“Takin’ off on me earlier.” He threw her on the bed, making sure the pillows cushioned her head when she landed. “I didn’t appreciate your little performance with that piano player.”
She stared up at him, amusement dancing in her eyes. “He was scared shitless of you.”
“He had every reason to be. I thought about tearing him apart if he laid one hand on you.”
She shook her head. “Man, you’ve got a possessive streak a Texas-mile wide, don’cha, cowboy?”
Only with you, baby.
He unfastened his jeans and shoved them down his thighs.
She smiled when she saw his tattoo-inspired boxer briefs. “You ever think about gettin’ inked down there?”
He laughed. “Hell no. You think I’m crazy?”