or careful, or gentle. It had been basic and raw and had just about blown his head off. Where the hell had that primal need to dominate and control come from? Had it been lurking inside him all this time?
He’d wanted to make her fall apart, to drive her wild, and he hadn’t been afraid to show her the side of himself he usually kept hidden. And if that didn’t make him a heartless bastard, he didn’t know what did.
Tally swept the glorious tumble of golden hair over her shoulder, giving him an unencumbered view of that spectacular rack—which had something hot and fluid stirring in his gut. To his astonishment, his exhausted cock twitched in recognition.
Her lips curved, the sight as much of a tease as those rosy nipples pouting at him. ‘Well, I certainly know what got into me.’ Her gaze drifted down to his lengthening cock. ‘That is one fabulous dick you have there, Mr O’Neill.’
A laugh burst out of his mouth, the wave of gratitude dissolving some of the tension, but none of the heat rising in his gut. The woman was something else, bold and brave and one heck of a smart-ass.
Most women would have slapped him back by now, but she didn’t seem any the worse for wear. Far from it—she’d appeared to love it, had even spurred him on. If he was going to discover his bad side, he’d certainly found the perfect woman to do it with.
Although he couldn’t help wondering why she was so bold. Because for all her bravado, he detected something fragile beneath. As if she were playing a role.
‘Thank you, ma’am,’ he said, ignoring the prickle of curiosity. No need to go there. This was one night only. If he’d thought he might be ready to try out another relationship, tonight had set him straight on that score.
She swayed and he grabbed her elbow. Her pulse punched his thumb. ‘You sure you’re okay?’ Maybe she wasn’t quite as unaffected as she was making out.
‘I’m wonderful, but I must have drunk that daiquiri too fast. It’s made me a little light-headed.’
‘Uh-huh.’ Seeing how she’d only taken a couple of sips of the cocktail, and that had been nearly an hour ago, he wasn’t buying the excuse. But he let it go, the tremble in her lips affecting him in a way he didn’t want to examine too closely.
The fact that she hadn’t thrown a hissy fit—or threatened to call the cops—after getting smacked on the ass was all the result he needed.
‘Come here.’ He tugged her into his arms, not too bothered when she wedged her forearms against his chest. He massaged the tight muscles of her neck and shoulders, smiling when her eyelids drifted to half-mast. ‘How about we grab a shower and then give the bed a work-out? You want to make a night of it?’
She leaned into his massaging fingers and let out a purr of approval that had his cock perking right up. ‘I suppose I could be persuaded to stay the night.’ She draped her arms around his neck. ‘But you’ll have to feed me first.’
‘Deal.’ Clamping his hands on her butt, he boosted her into his arms. She hooked her legs around his waist, the smooth, toned thighs riding his hips not doing a thing to dampen his erection. She settled in for the walk down the hall, her full breasts bouncing against his chest.
‘But don’t forget you owe me one,’ he added, deciding to take advantage of the opportunity to tease her. ‘And I always collect.’
Her eyebrow arched. ‘Owe you one what, exactly?’
He carried her into the bathroom. ‘One blow job.’
She batted her eyelashes. ‘I see.’ Her finger-nails played in the hair at his nape and the shiver of sensation surged down his spine to bloom in his nuts. ‘I guess a deal’s a deal. But fair warning, O’Neill. I happen to be the queen of BJs. So we better wait until we’re safely horizontal before I get my mouth on that magnificent cock.’
He choked out a laugh, but the eagerness in her tone—and the thought of those full lips wrapped around his thrusting
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