“I wish I’d taken you somewhere special tonight instead, that’s all.”
She makes a small noise in the back of her throat, barely audible over the combined din of bar clamor, music, and conversations taking place all around us. But I can hear the note of doubt in that faint exhalation.
“Am I the only woman you’ve felt you had to apologize to after bringing her to one of your basketball games?”
“Yeah. You are.” She gives me a wounded look that cuts through me. I reach out and smooth the pad of my thumb over the soft velvet of her cheek. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever brought to a game. I told youbefore, I don’t do this . . . relationships. I don’t do dates, either. Not very well, obviously.”
She smiles, turning her face into my open palm to press a brief kiss there. “I’ve got news for you, Gabriel Noble. As far as dates go, this one has been pretty perfect so far.”
“Yeah?” My voice rasps, arousal competing with the jolt of relief her reply has just given me. She nods, her long-lashed gaze flicking from my eyes to my mouth. She licks her lips and my heart rate speeds, desire coiling into a fist inside me. I lean in close and whisper beside her ear. “Sweetheart, this date is just getting started.”
With the check taken care of and a crowd of people waiting for us to leave our table, we all head out of the pub to say our goodbyes on the wide sidewalk outside. As I exchange handshakes and chuckle over smack talk with the guys, Evelyn is drawn into warm embraces by the women. As we all part company, I overhear the women making plans to meet up for lunch and a visit to L’Opale in a couple weeks.
I take Evelyn’s hand as we make the short walk around the block to where my car is parked. As soon as we’re locked in the vehicle and I start the engine, I can’t contain my need to touch her, to feel her lips on mine. I pivot toward her and draw her into a long, slow kiss.
“I’ve been dying to do that all night.”
Just one kiss, and the arousal that had me in its talons at the pub increases to a fevered need. I take her again, stroking my tongue past her parted lips and into the hot sweetness of her mouth.
I am hard as steel against the zipper of my jeans, every cell in my body on fire for her.
She breaks away from my kiss on a ragged gasp. “How far is your apartment from here?”
My lust-drenched brain takes a second to calculate the distance. “About ten minutes.”
Her lips are glistening from my kiss as they curve into a sexy smile. “That’s nine minutes too long.”
She moves closer and reaches into my lap to unfasten the button at my waistband. The zipper rasps as she tugs it down over the thick bulge of my erection. Then she slips her fingers into my boxer briefs to free my stiffened cock.
“Ah, Christ.” I groan as she begins to stroke me. Then I let out a choked curse as she covers the head of my shaft with her hot, wet mouth and sucks me deep.“Fuck.”
I lean my head back, one hand in her long hair, the other gripping the wheel like a lifeline as her tongue slides along the underside of my cock and her throat opens to take me farther in. Her fingers stroke me at the same time, one hand cupping my balls while the other pumps me from root to tip, moving in tempo with the incredible friction of her mouth.
I look down at her as she bobs in my lap, the wet sounds and hungry moans that vibrate through me taking me swiftly to the edge. “That feels so good, baby. I’m not going to last if you keep that up.”
Paused with her lips teasing the head of my cock, she glances up at me. Her smile is pure sin. “Then you’d better drive fast, Boy Scout.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I croak.
I put the vehicle into gear and punch the gas.
I’m fairly certain I set a new land speed record, which is no small feat considering it also takes a miracle of self-control and focus to withstand the sensual onslaught ofEve’s perfect mouth and ruthless tongue. But my iron will can only last so long.
As soon as I’m parked in my space in the small lot behind the old brick apartment building, I kill the engine, pack up my hard-on, and grab our bags. I practically drag Evelyn up the short flight of stairs to my unit on the second floor. Holding my free hand, she giggles in amusement as I drop the duffels and fumble for my keys in the hallway outside my door.
I can’t help the shaking of my fingers. I’ve disabled bomb detonation devices and I’ve reloaded weapons without breaking a sweat while taking on heavy gunfire, yet knowing I’m only moments away from having Evelyn naked beneath me and I doubt right now I’d even be able to tie a damn shoelace if my life depended on it.
Finally, I push the apartment door open on a curse and toss the bags in. Then I pull her inside with me. We crash together in a clumsy, urgent need, kissing and tugging at each other’s clothing as I guide us through the combination living room and dining room, toward the hallway that passes the bathroom and terminates at the single bedroom at the end.
Beneath her dark T-shirt and faded jeans, Evelyn is wearing a scarlet silk bra and matching panties. I am careful with the pretty underthings this time, unfastening the clasp on her bra and drawing it off her beautiful breasts. I tuck the bra into the pocket of my jeans because I have plans for the pretty length of silk and lace.
With Evelyn stripped down to just her panties and me shirtless in my jeans, I take her hand and walk briskly down the rest of the hallway.
She nips my shoulder as I walk her into my bedroom. “Aren’t you going to give me a tour?”
I chuckle, but it’s a dark, hungry sound. “I just did. I think you’ll agree this is the best room in the place.”
I guide her onto the king-size bed and sit her down on the edge of it. Her hands caress me, running up and down my bare torso and around to my back. Her touch inflames me, but I refuse to let it own me. Not this time.
