In Bed With the Enemy: Dating and Other Dangers / Dare She Kiss & Tell? / Double Dare

‘You know, in my experience—’

‘Vast as it is,’ he interpolated sarcastically.

‘Yes.’ She sent him a slayer look. ‘There are two kinds of men—protective and predatory. I’d never have expected you to step into the former category.’ She put a light hand on his chest. ‘I don’t need a protector, Ethan.’

‘You want to be hunted?’ His attempt to ignore the flirt failed. ‘Are you sure that’s what you want?’

‘Well, I definitely don’t need someone who thinks a little thing like me shouldn’t wander down the main road without a bodyguard.’

‘Because you can take care of yourself?’ He folded his arms across his chest to hide how tense she had him, and looked down at her the way he knew she hated.

‘That’s right,’ she purred, but he knew her claws were out.

He smiled. Oh, she was begging to be taught a lesson. ‘You really think you could get away from a guy like me—if I set my mind to it.’

‘Absolutely.’

‘Prove it, then. Let me get twenty paces ahead, and then you try and skate by me. Let’s see if you’re really fast enough.’

Excitement kindled in her eyes, turning the emerald jewels into bright, liquid fire. ‘All right, then. You go ahead.’

He walked backwards so he didn’t break eye contact as he moved away from her. She waited, hands on hips in total defiance, as he stepped further away. But she had no idea what she was in for. He’d been on the first fifteen at school and at university. He knew how to tackle.

Twenty paces out, he turned away from her, every sense attuned. His hearing was especially acute, waiting for the rhythmic sound of her skates on the concrete. There it was—the strikes getting faster and louder as she neared. He stepped up his own pace, breaking into a run. As she drew abreast of him he put on an extra burst of speed.

He wasn’t stupid—this was a narrow stretch of path and she had to stay on the smooth surface to maintain her speed. So he blockaded—pushing her nearer the edge as she tried to pass. And just as her energy spurted he scooped one arm around her waist, half lifting her as he ran that bit faster, further to the side, until they both fell to the grass. Full body tackle. Relentless in his pursuit, he rolled so he was on top of her, clamping her arm between their bodies, completely stopping her escape. He cupped one hand over her mouth and held down her free arm with the other while he adjusted his position to trap her legs between his.

She shivered violently beneath him. His muscles locked tighter in response.

‘Gotcha,’ he ground out through teeth clenched in masculine victory. ‘No one’s come to your rescue, Nadia.’ His words slurred as all his predatory instincts celebrated, shutting down his brain and firing up his body. He kept his hand over her mouth. Tried not to enjoy having her at his mercy too much. But he failed on that one.

Beneath his tense bicep, her breasts rose and fell quickly.

‘It’s the middle of the damn day and you’re mine to do what I want with. In the morning, when you skate through here, there are even fewer passers-by. You’d have no chance.’

He felt the ripple in her body again, watched the green in her eyes deepen, some emotion welling up in her. But it wasn’t fear.

Oh, hell.

It swamped him too, obliterating all those intentions. He tried to hold on … meaning to prove that point. But he couldn’t remember what the point had been now. He knew what he wanted, but he was not going to—not going to.

He lifted his hand and quickly kissed her—hard.

And he groaned as quick became long and slow. He dived into the sensations—the hungry, soft mouth, the sweet slide of her tongue. His brain shut down completely as he was immersed in searing, delicious heat. For ever and a bit later he lifted his head and looked at her. Her tee had rucked up a bit when he’d tumbled her down, baring her midriff. Now he ran a single finger just above the snug waistband of her black leggings, loving the satin feel of her smooth warm skin. Loving the catch of her breath even more.

He watched her reaction—the increase in her pulse, the liquidity of her eyes—and went bolder still, firmly pressing the palm of his hand against her belly, feeling the response ripple through her. Oh, man, she had fire.

He slid his hand beneath that waistband and watched her mouth open in a silent oh. For a brief moment her eyes closed as he went lower, brazenly sliding his fingers right down into her pants.

Her whole body spasmed.

He paused, breathing hard as he felt her instinctive rocking up to meet his hand. She wanted him.

‘Don’t be too pleased with yourself,’ she panted, defiant to the end. ‘I’m always hot after I exercise.’

‘Oh, very hot.’ He delved deeper. Slow, exploratory strokes that he quickened when he felt how incredibly hot she was. Hot and wet and uncontrollably arching her hips to ride his touch.

She shrugged, but she had that drugged look. ‘It makes me more orgasmic.’

Ooooookay. ‘My touching you?’ He leaned closer to catch her breathless whisper.

‘No …’

‘No?’ He half laughed, half groaned as he massaged her wet heat, sliding his fingers deep and thumbing her sweet spot. ‘How close are you?’

‘Not … that close.’

He barely caught her answer she was so breathless. Ethan exulted in the fire escalating within her, flicked his fingers that bit faster. And incredibly, awesomely, that was all it took.

Her head arched back violently, her eyes closing as she clamped hot and tight, suddenly releasing hard and fast, a strangled moan slipping from her full lips.

‘Did you just come?’ Astounded, he had to ask to be sure. ‘I hardly did anything.’

And he was so excited he was about to make a fool of himself.

‘Like I said,’ she panted, opening her eyes—they glittered so bright they revealed nothing. ‘Exercise makes me more orgasmic. You know—the blood was already pumping.’

Oh, he wanted pumping. He wanted pumping right now. Only he was stuck in the middle of a public park and he had no chance of getting what he wanted in the next five minutes. His jaw ached because his teeth were clenched so hard. But he had to clarify her outrageous statement. ‘So you’re saying it wasn’t really me? That it was the exercise?’

Her shoulders lifted lazily.

He laughed, delighted with the appearance of her inner ball-breaker. She was totally angling to emasculate him. ‘So five minutes of skating got you to screaming point? Wow. That’s a good tip to know. You meant it when you said the wheels made you fast.’

All he could see were green jewel eyes, a lazy smile and lightly flushed cheeks. She even let out a little sigh of satisfaction as she muttered, ‘Yes.’

Oh, he didn’t believe her. He focused, reading every tiny little sign. Understanding her was suddenly everything. Her tongue flicked, quickly dampening the corner of her mouth. She lowered her lashes, hiding her dawning reaction.

Unadulterated challenge and nothing but.

Reluctantly he slid his fingers from their newfound favourite home and lifted them to his lips. He leaned over her, pressing his aching erection right between her upper thighs, not caring if he squashed her for this one second—to get his point across.

Her eyes widened, glazing over again, her breathing hitching to almost hysterical. Yeah, she liked it. And he loved how much she liked it.

‘You think you’re going to teach me a lesson?’ he taunted softly. ‘Trouble is, you’re not satisfied yet, darling. You and I both know that was just the warm-up.’

CHAPTER SEVEN

NADIA didn’t know what she wanted first, second or third. It was worse than when she hadn’t eaten for a few hours. Decision-making was completely beyond her. So was prioritising. She didn’t want to move, but she was desperate to. She didn’t want Ethan to lift his gloriously heavy body from hers, but she wanted him to hurry so they could get somewhere private. She wanted him to go on top, go underneath, go down. She wanted him so many ways she couldn’t think, breathe or speak for the anticipation.

Yes, now she knew just how good the guy was. Some of it was the packaging, some of it was chemical, but most of it was attitude and skill. He had every right to be the cocksure dude he was. And which was more important to Nadia right now—deflating his ego or having the time of her life?

Time of her life. Hands down.

Maybe he felt it—the moment of pure surrender, the subtle relaxation of her body as she gave in. Maybe the desperation was all too obvious in her expression. But he smiled and lifted away from her. Maintaining blatant, blistering eye contact as he extended a hand to haul her up.

She awkwardly walked the few paces across the grass to get back to the path, her thighs so wobbly she doubted she could skate any more. But some kind of muscle memory locked in. Some last shred of dignity—the need to mask how completely shattered she’d been by those few moments in the grass and pretend some more it had all just been the exercise. As she began to recover a little co-ordination he started to jog. She skated faster to keep up.

‘We’ll continue with the plan and go get my bike,’ he said, sounding too damn unruffled and making her doubt everything again—especially that hungry stare he’d subjected her to as he’d pressed her into the grass.

She concentrated hard on the concrete path, not wanting him to see how disappointing his words were. She was gutted that they hadn’t done everything right there and then. Had he recovered his reason now? Was he going to go back to being the gentleman—not the rogue who always took what he wanted without giving a damn?

She really wanted him to take what he wanted. She wanted to be what he wanted. She skated as her energy returned to comic book superhero levels—courtesy of frustration. As she sped up, so did he, until they were moving swiftly out of the park, down the paths, easily avoiding the pedestrians—as if they really did have some kind of superhuman co-ordination and speed.

She glanced at him, absorbed the effortless grace of his big body in motion. He was fit—surprisingly fast for someone so tall. And maybe it wasn’t so effortless—because as she looked closer she saw his fists clenched so tight his knuckles were white, his big biceps more defined than ever. Anticipation sent adrenalin licking through her veins again.

His hand suddenly closed on her upper arm, and he gave a sharp tug so she veered off course, spinning in a half-circle and colliding against him. His other hand caught her round the waist, pressing her chest and belly to his and keeping her there.

‘We’re here.’ He lifted her, keeping her clamped to him, and jogged up the three steps to the main door, wincing as the toe of her boot accidentally connected with his shin. She was too puffed, too turned on, to apologise. At the top he lowered her, releasing her arm to reach behind her. His other hand kept her pushed hard into his hot body. She heard a series of beeps, figured he’d pushed a security code into the pad next to the big door. Sure enough, she heard a click as it unlocked.

‘Can you manage the carpet with your skates?’ He didn’t wait for an answer, just pushed her so she rolled in backwards.

The door slammed shut behind him.

He stopped on the first-floor landing and pulled out a key. ‘Hot again after that exercise?’ he asked, dripping with innuendo.

Oh, yeah—as if it was the exercise warming her up. What a liar she was. She’d been hot for days, since that kiss after the movies. It was all him. But while she wasn’t about to deflate his ego this minute, she wasn’t going to puff it up even more either.

‘Not hot enough,’ she said bluntly, and slid past him onto the wooden floor of his apartment, gliding down the hall and into the main room. It was a big apartment—tasteful. Not that she took in many details.

She heard the door shut and his fast pace. His hands caught her hips and drew her back against him, his mouth hot on the side of her neck. She instantly angled her head so he could access more skin. Her skates propelled her forward, away.

He growled as he pulled her back against him and nudged his leg between hers. ‘It’s like a teen fantasy. Your legs literally slide apart.’

For him they did. They would even without the wheels.

He shaped her body, cupping her breasts and then sliding down her stomach. She loved the size and firmness of his hands. Her breathing escalated—fast, shallow—and she shamelessly leaned back against him, encouraging him to continue the hot trail of kisses over her skin.

‘I wasn’t going to do this,’ he muttered, furiously nuzzling into her neck.

‘You could always stop,’ she taunted, pressing her butt harder against his erection.

‘You know that’s not possible.’ He groaned, gliding hard and firm down the length of her body, pressing pleasure into her skin and deeper into her muscles. ‘You sure you can handle the hurt?’ he asked roughly.

‘Is there going to be hurt?’

‘I didn’t think there was usually. But people have been at pains to point out to me that I’m wrong on that. So I think it’s only fair to warn you.’

Amused by his flash of conscience, she teased him some more with her body. ‘Who’s to say it’ll be me who feels the hurt?’

‘You’re the one with the venomous website.’

‘I’ve already been warned, Ethan. Don’t worry.’

He lifted the hem of her tee shirt and she instantly lifted her arms to let him take it right off. But as he released his hold on her she glided forward again.

He swore in annoyance and then simply pushed her forward some more, until she crashed into the back of a leather armchair. Her feet couldn’t move further forward now—and he was in place firmly behind her. She bent at the waist so she could feel his hard length pressing closer to her core. She reached into the cup of her bra and pulled out the condom she’d hidden there, passed it back to him.

He grunted. ‘A woman who knows what she wants. Full of surprises, aren’t you?’

With barely leashed ferocity he undid her bra and held each strap in his hands—using it like a bridle to control how far she could lean to and from him.

And she wanted to be ridden. ‘Harder,’ she moaned, thrills shivering along every vein.

He pulled tighter, flattening her breasts against the cotton, her nipples sensitive against the material. He teased with his hips. Round and round, pressing hard and close and then away again, while he kissed from across from one shoulder to the next, stopping to nibble at her neck and her upper back. Her breathing shortened, keeping rhythm with the circling motion of his pelvis against her. She was going to come again, and he was still fully clothed.

Not okay. She wanted him inside her.

She rocked harder, faster, circling her hips back against him, wanting to stir him beyond restraint so they’d strip and screw right now—now, now. Suddenly he picked her up and started walking across the lounge back towards the hall. She struggled so much he dropped her, and her feet went out from under her. She crashed onto her hands and butt.

‘What’s wrong?’ He thudded to his knees beside her.

‘I don’t want to see the notches on your bed.’ She scrambled to get on all fours. ‘I’d rather be out here on the floor.’

‘I haven’t slept with nearly as many women as you seem to think,’ he spat back, equally furious, his hand shooting out to grasp her wrist. ‘And so what, anyway? Isn’t it now that matters? I’m not sleeping with anyone else right now. I’m not going to do that to you.’

‘I still don’t want to see your room,’ she growled. ‘I just want to … to …’ Her lungs jerked so hard she could hardly speak.

‘You just want a quick shag—is that it?’

‘Now,’ she said bluntly.

‘Well, we’re getting rid of the skates first.’

‘Fine.’

He fought with one while she worked on the other, until with heavy thuds he tossed them both over his shoulder and in one smooth movement pulled her beneath him as he rolled over her. She liked that he was fearless about being on top of her. She liked how much he weighed her down.

‘That’s what you want, isn’t it?’ He grinned evilly down at her. ‘Like to be dominated, darling?’

‘Watch your step, Ethan. You’re more vulnerable that you realise.’

‘You think?’

She ran a nail down the side of his neck while she slipped her other hand between them. She cupped his balls though his shorts and squeezed ever so slightly. He flinched and rose on all fours astride her, suddenly smiling—even though she knew he was as angry at her as he was turned on.

He yanked the dangling bra free from her body and then with two hands pulled her black leggings down, revealing her knickers.

He slid them halfway down her body and stared at the plain white panties.

‘Cotton Lycra.’ She tried not to sound too apologetic. ‘Comfortable for exercise.’

‘Indeed,’ he said. ‘And nice and stretchy.’ He grasped them, pulling them to the side, and very gently blew warm air over her. ‘Something very tantalising about it.’ He let the material cover her again and pressed his open mouth against the cotton.

She’d just about burst out of her skin at the luscious breath, and now the wet heat of him through the cotton was absolute torture.

‘Damn it, Ethan,’ she groaned. ‘You make me mad. You make me laugh.’ She banged her head back on the floor, arching as he licked her through the cotton. ‘You drive me crazy.’

‘Well, that’s totally fair.’ He switched to sucking and twisting his tongue into the cotton. ‘You do the same to me.’

She shook her head frantically. But it didn’t matter now—too late. She cried out through clenched teeth and contracting muscles as she came again.

She opened her eyes to see Ethan’s satisfied smile as he stripped the last of her clothes from her body and then stripped himself. He dealt with the condom and then looked up, his brows flickering when he saw she was watching avidly.

‘What shall we do now?’ he asked innocently.

‘I’ve orgasmed twice already,’ she said bluntly. ‘I just want you.’

He hesitated. She could feel his tension as this time he carefully took the bulk of his weight on his elbows. He gently probed her with his thick erection.

She shivered, all the goosebumps back. ‘Girth is good, Ethan.’

He laughed and kissed her. ‘You could use that as another website. GirthIsGood.’

‘Yeah?’ She rocked sinuously beneath him, wanting him to close those last few inches. ‘I’ve got a better one.’

‘Mmm?’ He kept up the tease, still not penetrating.

‘Pump. Now. Please.’

‘Okay.’ But still he didn’t. Instead he bent and with a wide mouth sucked hard at her nipple while stroking with his tongue, his hand cupping its twin so it didn’t feel neglected. Something else felt neglected.

Breathlessly she tightened her grip on him, jerking him up by the hair. ‘Do me or die,’ she ordered.

‘Oh, that’s nice.’

But she’d won. She saw the flare of his nostrils, the narrowing of his gaze as his focus centred.

He pushed forward. Hard.

She moaned—a low, wild sound that came from deep in her chest—and he paused. She could feel his heart thumping. She inhaled deep, then sighed and smiled. ‘Good, good, good,’ she muttered. ‘Now give me more.’

‘Demanding,’ he choked. ‘So demanding.’

‘You like it.’

‘I do.’

‘So why have you stopped?’

‘I like it too much.’

‘Ethan …’

‘Will you give me a break?’ he snapped. ‘I move an inch now and I’ll come, and I don’t want to come just yet. I don’t want this to be over that soon.’ He exhaled sharply, closed his eyes on her, his whole expression creasing into a frown of agony and need, frustration and determination.

‘Oh …’ She all but came again herself. Thrilled. She didn’t want it to end yet either, but she wanted him to feel as ecstatic as her—as desperate.

‘It’s not funny.’ He moved out of her.

‘What are you doing?’ She growled her disappoint ment.

He frowned right back at her. ‘It’s okay for you to be fast. It’s not okay for me to be fast,’ he gritted. ‘I don’t want either of us to end up frustrated.’

He sat back and rearranged her, pushing her legs further apart, and then moved forward again, stopping to suck her some more before sliding his length deep inside and causing those mini-convulsions in her again.

‘How hard?’ he asked, the strain audible.

‘Rough as you can.’

‘Oh—’ He swore crudely and swiftly left her again, rising to his knees and rubbing his hands over his face as he inhaled huge gulps of air.

She sat up and stared, amazed to see him struggling so much. ‘Are you worried about your reputation, Ethan?’

Didn’t he know he’d already given her the best sexual experience of her life? Or did he think she had orgasms in public parks every day of the week?

‘No.’ He glared at her. ‘But I’m not completely in control of myself with you.’

‘And you usually are?’

He grunted.

She smiled, crazily pleased that he was having a hard time coping with how turned on he was. ‘Well, I don’t care about control,’ she said quietly. ‘I just want you inside me.’

‘What you say to me,’ he said through even more tightly clenched teeth, ‘does not help.’

‘You want me to shut up?’

He looked at her for a long time and then suddenly smiled, the tension in his face altering from strained to wicked—but still edgy. Had he won whatever battle it was he was having with himself? ‘Yeah—why don’t you just come and take what you want?’

‘All right.’ She rose to her knees and crawled the half-metre to sit astride him.

He lifted his face to look her in the eye. She saw the mix of molten fury and desire as she rocked herself over the tip of his erection a few times. She’d known it would be good, but she hadn’t expected this kind of blistering, on-the-edge passion. Equal parts anger and hunger and helpless humour.

She put her hands on his shoulders, her fingers spread wide, but still not big enough to curl right around them. That didn’t matter. She could use them as leverage anyway. And she pushed down hard as she took him in to his hilt.

His hands were pressed hard into the floor, and she pushed harder on him as she lifted her hips and ground back down. The sensation was outrageously awesome as she slid up off him and then slammed back down. Slow and deep and again and again.

He said nothing. Nor did she. But she felt the way he was forcing his breathing to stay regular. She smiled, watching him watching her breasts sway with her rhythm. She touched them, cupping them in her hands and presenting her taut nipples to his lips.

His hands lifted, tight on her thighs, and he tasted—as she wanted. She laughed, drunk on the excitement of seeing him so desperate for her.

His hands suddenly tangled in her hair, pulling her closer, his tongue rampaging into her mouth, not letting her go and giving no respite from the ferocious, powerful kisses. She half moaned, half hummed with ecstasy into his mouth as he started thrusting up to meet her—making the ride even more incredible.

The thrill rolled in on unstoppable waves, crashing over her, tossing her into a pleasure-filled place that was so captivating she alternately held her breath and then gasped for relief as they ground closer and closer again. And then she could no longer move, no longer control the ride. Her senses, her sanity crumbled under the onslaught of pure, unbearable ecstasy. His arms tightened as she quivered and then shuddered in the throes of an orgasm like no other.

As it ebbed he moved, flipping her over, crushing her beneath him. And pounded. Sliding further and harder into her heat. She clamped on him, arched up every time to pull him closer still and not let him go. With every surge of friction she was driven back to the brink. She cried out helplessly—wanting a rest but desperate for more. His breathing rasped in her ears, melding with her own broken entreaties as she chanted his name again and again. They were way past the boundaries of civility, burning now with raw, instinctive need. Blinded by sensations, beyond reason, just desperate and aching and frantic for final fulfilment.