Tempting Tricks (Tempting Nights #2)

Chapter Twenty

~Trick~

“ Y ours,” she purrs up at me. “Because it’s closer and I’m tired of waiting.” I raise my hand to flag the waiter for the bill, and twenty minutes later, Gene pulls up in front of my building. I slide out of the car, pulling her quickly behind me, eager to finally be alone with her. When we step into the elevator, the air is filled with so much electricity and sexual tension you could cut it with a knife. My fingers are locked around hers, my pulse thrumming against her wrist, our gazes locked on one another.

“One more minute,” I murmur, stroking my thumb over hers. She nods, her lower lip caught between her teeth. The doors to the elevator slide open, and we stride to my apartment, slamming the door behind us. I twirl her around and crush her to my body, crashing my mouth against hers. We are a tangle of limbs, our hands roaming greedily over one another, our moans vibrating together .

I tear away from her and strip her coat off, shedding mine next. I wrap an arm around her and loom over her. Her back arches against my arm as I latch onto her neck, biting and sucking my way down the wide V of her neckline. Her fingers grip the waist of my slacks as she shoves her center against my hard cock and rubs against me. I growl, gripping a handful of her hair in my fist, and yank her away from me, standing straight.

Her blue eyes are wide, darting back and forth wildly as she stares at me, her chest heaving as she pants. I tighten the hold I have on her hair and lower my face above hers. “You sure you want more?”

She nods, eyes flaring wider as she breathes out, “Yes.”

I release her, take a step back, and move to unbutton the cuffs on my shirt. She watches me but doesn’t say a word as I roll up my sleeves to just before my elbows and then loosen the top two buttons of my shirt.

I take a step toward her and chuckle when she takes one back. “You want me to chase you?” I drawl, stepping to the side of her, ready to grab her if she bolts.

She shakes her head, looking at me over her shoulder. “What are you going to do to me?”

I step behind her, wrapping a hand around each of her shoulders, pushing her forward until the fronts of her legs hit the arm of the couch. I press my lips to her ear. “I’m giving you more.” Her body shudders in my arms as I release the hold I have on her shoulders. I skim my fingers down the length of her body until I reach the bottom of her skirt. I grab onto the hem and yank it up above her waist, a short cry coming from her as her body jerks against mine.

Pressing my front tightly against her back, I rub my cock against the seam of her ass, my hands sliding up the front of her dress. My fingers trail over her heightened nipples, and I move my thumb and forefinger together and pinch hard. Her ass thrusts back against my cock, a moan tumbling from her lips in response. I bury my nose in her neck, my lips finding bare skin, and I suck, her knees buckling against my assault.

I flatten my hands against her chest to hold her against me, whispering against her ear again. “You still want more?”

“Patrick,” she mewls out, her hand reaching behind me to clutch onto my hip, grasping onto me as she pulls me against her ass. “Don’t stop.”

My cock swells at her command, and I take one hand and twist her face to me, claiming her mouth in a brutal kiss. I tear my lips from hers, releasing my grip on her long enough to step away. I place one hand on her hip, the other between her shoulder blades, and shove her down over the arm of the couch, splaying her body out before me, her ass in the air.

I growl in appreciation at the curves of her ass, bare before me except for a thin scrap of material strung between her cheeks and a small triangle over her pussy. I can see her panties are wet, the silk darker at her core than anywhere else. I run two fingers over the smooth fabric, pushing against her raised clit as I do, a whimper sounding from her as she wiggles beneath me. I raise my hand and slap it hard against her cheek, no warning. She cries out in surprise, one heeled foot kicking out and almost hitting me. She moves to rise off the couch, but I lean over her, grabbing her hands and clenching them against her lower back.

“Leave them there,” I order.

She nods once, panting. “Okay. ”

I rear my hand back then bring it down in the same spot, pink blooming across her buttock, my dick pounding in response. She cries out.

I growl. “Don’t you remember anything that I taught you?”

She nods again, more frantic, searching for my approval. “Yes, sir.”

I smile, my hand resting gently on the spot I just slapped, caressing it softly in reward. I drop to my knees, my fingers sliding up to grip onto the edges of her thong, and I pull it down her legs, over her shoes, and off. I skim my knuckles up the calf of her legs, stopping when I get to her knees, gripping them lightly, then pull them wide.

She grunts when her body slides forward but manages to keep her hands clenched behind her back, turning her face sideways. I continue moving my hands up her legs until I reach her ass, then I grip onto each cheek and spread them wide. I lower my face and drag my tongue from the hood of her clit to the top of her ass, swirling my tongue around her puckered hole, repeating the action several times.

“Ooooh,” keens from above, her pussy clenching, moisture dripping from her. I lean forward and lap at it, stabbing my tongue deep inside of her, thrusting it back and forth. Her cries above me intensify with every shove. I bring my hand up and sink two fingers inside of her, her legs opening wider as I slowly pump them in and out of her.

She’s whimpering above me, her hips grinding into the arm of my couch in time to my thrusts. I lap my tongue over her clit then close my lips around it and suck. I hook my fingers, plunging harder until I feel her pussy begin pulsing, clenching onto my digits with force, her screams of passion bouncing of the walls of the room as she comes against my mouth.

I clamp a hand down hard on her waist as I continue to suck, her juices dripping around my mouth as she convulses against me. I hum as I draw back, licking my lips, standing quickly to unbuckle my belt, and shove my pants down my legs. My cock springs free, my head swollen and aching as I grip it with my fist and line it up against her wet core.

I swipe it up and down her center, spreading her slickness over my head. “Are you ready for more?” I push into her opening, leaning over her as I slide myself slowly into her.

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,” falls from her again and again like a chant, her ass grinding back against me, showing me her answer. I lunge forward, shoving myself in to the hilt, a low moan shuddering from her as I bark out my pleasure. “Fuck yes!”

I rear my hips back and then drive them into her again, her body flailing forward when I do. I reach down to grip her wrists in one hand, pushing down to hold her in place. Then I lean over farther, gathering her long hair, wrapping it around my fist, and pull. Her head yanks back at the same time my hips drive into her, her approval wailing from her. “Yes, yes!”

Sweat drips down my back, my shirt sticking to my skin as I ram into her again and again. I fuck her relentlessly until I feel my release coil up my length and explode, the fragments of my mind going with it, shards of lightning sparking behind my closed lids as I roar out her name and collapse against her.

I jerk to a sitting position, the heat of the flames still burning against my skin, my heart like a jackhammer against my chest. My body is covered in sweat, the covers twisted around my legs as I blow out a hot breath. Another fucking nightmare . I reach down to untangle myself and realize Belle’s not in the bed with me. What the fuck? I glance at the clock on my bedside table. It’s a little after three in the morning. There’s no way she would have left, right?

I rip my legs out of the covers and out of the bed. I’m naked, but I don’t stop to put anything on, more concerned about where she is. I fling the bedroom door open and let out a sigh of relief when I see her sitting on the couch.

“You okay?” I walk to the couch to join her. “I got worried when I woke up and you—” I freeze in my tracks, my eyes locking onto the gun she’s holding in her lap—my Glock 19x 9mm, to be precise.

She turns her head to look at me, tears streaming from her eyes. I hold my hand out and walk cautiously over to her. “Belle, what are you doing with that?” I stop when I’m next to her, slowly lowering myself beside her.

She shakes her head, tears streaming down her face, her mouth open, but no words come out. I place my hand over the gun, wrap my fingers around it, then lift it out of hers. I make sure the safety’s on, even though I know it’s not loaded, then place it on the coffee table in front of us.

“Belle?” I put my palm against her wet cheek and turn her face to look at mine, trying to make some kind of contact. She blinks, seeming to finally realize I’m here, and reaches up to clutch onto my arm.

“Why do you have a gun?” Her eyes dart back and forth as she stares at me, her hands clenching into fists. “Why would you have one here?” she begs.

I raise my shoulders, my brow furrowing. “I’m a soldier.” I’m not sure what other explanation to give. I actually have three guns in the apartment, but I’m guessing now isn’t the time to reveal that piece of information. And, I’m wondering how she came to find this one. “I was active duty for so long. It’s just second nature for me to have one.”

She starts rambling, and I rear back as I try to absorb everything she’s saying. “I woke up, and I had to go pee. I was cold, so I wanted a t-shirt. It was dark, but I didn’t want to turn on the light and wake you, and I was trying to remember where you got that other shirt that you gave me that time. So, I opened what I thought was the correct drawer, but I reached in and my hand landed on this, and oh my God, a gun! Why do you need a gun?”

“Hey.” I reach out and take her face in my hands, talking to her in a soft voice. “Belle, it’s okay. I’m not your dad. I’m not going to hurt myself. It’s not why I have it.”

Her eyes fly up to mine, her face scrunched up in pain. “I can’t go through that again.” She shakes her head. ‘I won’t.” She begins to sob, so I pull her against my chest and hold her, telling her softly that it’s okay, and just let her cry.

Jesus Christ, I guess we both have demons breathing down our backs. I would have never imagined seeing a gun would trigger her this way. When her crying finally seems to subside, I shift her onto my lap then stand and carry her back to my bedroom. I set her gently on the bed then slide in next to her, gathering her in my arms to pull her against my chest. I reach down to pull the covers over the both of us when I feel her trembling. I’m not sure if she’s cold or if her body is reacting to her emotions, but I just want to make her feel better.

I kiss the top of her head and tug her even closer to me, wanting her to know more than anything that she’s safe here with me. But, even more than that, that I’m not going to do anything to harm myself.

“Belle, I would never, ever use that gun on myself.” I sigh. “If I can make you believe anything about myself, please, just believe that.”

“My mother didn’t think my father would ever use his gun on himself either, Patrick,” she mumbles, her cheek wet against my chest.

“I am not your father.” I blow out a breath, trying to figure out how I can make her believe me. “I’ve found a way to deal with the pain, the memories, even the guilt. Something you said your father never did.”

“But is what you’re doing enough, Patrick?” She looks up me, her eyes so sad. “Is it?”

I close my eyes, knowing that some days it doesn’t feel like enough. I tell her the truth. “Some days, it fucking sucks. Some days are really hard. The guilt I feel, the pain, they can be overwhelming.” I sigh. “But I also know I’d rather feel that pain, feel that guilt, than feel nothing at all or leave behind the people I love.”

I pull her far enough away from me that I can look down at her. “I’m sorry your dad did that to himself. I’m sorry he did that to your mom and you. Really sorry.” I frown when I see her eyes well up. “But, I promise you, I would never do that to you.” I lower my face to hers. “I’ll get rid of my guns if you want, but Belle, it wouldn’t matter. If I really wanted to do it, I wouldn’t need a gun. There are ten other ways I could off myself.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” She pushes off of me and sits up. “‘Cause it’s not working.”

Gripping the back of my neck in frustration, I sit up beside her. “No, I’m not saying this right.” I grimace. “I would have done it a long time ago if I was going to do it. Not now. Not when I’ve finally met someone who—” I stop, realizing what I’m about to admit, and just shake my head instead. “I just wouldn’t.”

“When you finally met someone who, what?” She raises her brows, waving her hand in the air for me to continue.

I lock my gaze with hers, knowing this will either make things better or just scare her away. “When I’ve finally met someone who makes me feel alive again. Makes me want to get out of bed every morning. Makes me think about what’s next.”

Her face softens. “Me?”

I scoff. “Of course, you.” I haul her against me. “Who else but you?” I press a tender kiss to her lips. “I’m not going anywhere.”