Lucky Baby by Taryn Quinn

Sixteen

“Dammit.”I stood up and followed her.

She was standing at the sink, her fingers gripping the edge as if her life depended on it.

I came up behind her and she stiffened. “Shh. I’m not good at this stuff either, you know. I’m a bad bet from every angle. I should let you run.”

“But you won’t.”

It was my turn to lock my muscles. Did she really not want me? “If this makes you that miserable, I’ll back off. I don’t want to be an idiot puppy who doesn’t know how to control himself. Even if that’s how I feel every time I’m around you, for fuck’s sake.”

She relaxed against me. “You know we don’t have any issue when it comes to sex. I’m not going to deny that.”

“But you don’t want it.” My voice was resigned.

She raised her arm to slip her fingers along the back of my neck. “I like neat, orderly checkboxes.”

“Life isn’t a checkbox.”

“The last time I leaped, I—”

“No. Not his name here.” She still hadn’t admitted the rest about her brother’s best friend, but inside, I already knew. The muscles between my shoulder blades were so tight I was afraid they’d snap. “I’m not him.”

“I know. But all that shit got dredged up.” She twisted around in my arms to face me. “I can’t not feel like I’m in the middle of a hurricane when we’re together.”

“They say to get up against a big, sturdy wall when they come through.”

Her eyebrow spiked. “I take it you’re the wall?”

“I can’t say I’ll never hurt you, Ruby. I just know I’ll never mean to.” I cupped her face, dragging my thumb across her cheek. “But I know I’ve never felt like this about anyone.”

Her gaze dropped to my chest.

Even without her spelling it all out, I suspected she’d loved someone else before. Maybe more than one person, though I had my doubts. “It doesn’t matter if I’m not the first.”

Her gaze snapped to mine. “First?”

“C’mon, Ruby. I’m gonna be the love of your goddamn life. At least from here on out.”

Her dark eyes widened. “Stop saying that. We barely know each other.”

“All it takes is a moment.” I drew her closer.

She slapped her hands on my chest, pushing back. “No, it doesn’t.”

I lowered my mouth to hers. “I’ll wait for you to catch up.” I kissed her before she could make another excuse.

I might not have been what she had in mind, but I was hers—whether she was ready or not.

Bending, I lifted her. At least her body knew she could count on me. She instinctively twined around me. Arms around my shoulders, legs around my waist.

God, she was magnificent. I didn’t have to worry that I’d break her. She was made for me, I was convinced of it.

I gripped her ass and stalked through the kitchen, out and around to the hallway that led to my bedroom.

“This doesn’t change anything,” she said against my mouth.

“Right.”

“It’s just sex.”

“Sure.” I kicked my bedroom door open and tossed her on the bed.

She bounced and fell back on her elbows. “Is this supposed to be a seduction scene?”

“This is supposed to be fun.” I grabbed her foot and flipped off her Converse sneaker. I dragged her down to the end of the bed and took care of the other foot. The Incredible Hulk socks made me laugh. “Mixing your comics.”

She rested her foot against my belly. “I’m a rebel.”

I reached under her pant leg and scrapped my nails over her calf as I dragged off her sock and tossed it over my shoulder. I repeated the move with the other leg.

She was trying so hard not to grin at me, but I knew this was exactly what we needed.

The truck had been overstimulation with a side of grief. My goal had been to take her mind off things. This was two adults learning what made sex fun for each other.

I had a feeling she didn’t allow herself to have too much fun these days. She was independent, headstrong, brilliant—a hell of a combination with art in the mix. Even if I’d bet my truck she didn’t see herself as an artist.

The whole package made her endlessly fascinating. Add in the warrior steel under her porcelain skin, and I was so damn sunk.

The sun was streaming through the window, making her hair look like fire. Goddamn, she was so beautiful.

Leaning over, I flicked the button open and whipped off her jeans. They were loose and well worn enough that I didn’t have to struggle for what I was looking for. I wasn’t disappointed to find matching Batman cotton panties.

I nibbled my way along her yard of leg before I knelt on the floor at the bottom of my king-sized bed. I pulled her forward for a repeat taste of what I’d sampled last night.

The truck had been madness and darkness. I’d felt my way around to find exactly what she needed. Now this was for me.

Sunlight slashed across her skin from my blinds, letting me see every inch, every curve, and every freckle on her water-soft skin.

I hooked her knee over my shoulder and licked her inner thigh.

“Lucky.” Her voice was sharp with hesitation. I knew there as a difference between the reckless comfort of yesterday and a sun-filled today. But I wanted to show her that both were okay between us.

Both would be amazing.

I tucked my hands under her ass and lifted her hips to roll off her panties. Instead of letting her think things through—which was always dangerous with this woman—I widened her legs with my shoulders and sent her into a tailspin.

No part of her went unexplored. I wanted her taste and scent buzzing in my head. Her hips lifted so she could undulate against my tongue. I followed her lead, finding the correct combination to her lock. This lock anyway. Her heart was a much more fortified area.

But here, we were compatible in every way.

I pushed up her shirt to flip her bra up and out of the way. She arched off the bed as I held on through each buck and twist. My Ruby liked a rough hand sometimes, and today that seemed to be where we were headed.

I wanted to keep it light. To hear that husky laugh as I made her come. But as always, the desperation set in. My entire goal was to hear her crash and burn in my arms.

I drew one hand between her legs to stroke her lightly with my thumb as my tongue circled her hard clit. My beard was abrading her skin, but it only seemed to enhance her tension.

She was as tight as the strings on my guitar, vibrating on the knife’s edge of pleasure. I held her there, held back until her fingers fisted in my hair.

She lifted my head and our eyes locked. Hers were near black with temper. “I’m going to kill you.”

I laughed against her soaked slit then twisted my hand to thrust two fingers into her swollen pussy. She clamped down on my fingers, and her surprised cry nearly shook the windows.

Hearing her say my name so urgently made me stone hard. I’d tucked my own needs into a box as I focused on her, but now there was nothing but my lust fueling me as I stood and bent her knees toward her chest.

Her thighs shook and her lids dipped to half mast as her chest heaved for oxygen.

“Fuck, you are so damn beautiful.”

She reached her arms above her head in a feline stretch, her skin pink where I’d pinched her nipples and scraped at her skin with my rough hands.

Then she grabbed two fistfuls of my my hair and dragged me over her.

“Ruby, I’m too heavy.”

Instead of arguing with me, she rolled me over and straddled me, ripping at my zipper. “While I enjoyed the one-sided trip to O-Town, I’d really like to go for another round. You up to it?”

That smile I’d been looking for hit me like a punch. Sly and drunk on her own power, she curled her fingers into my boxers to draw out my cock. “There we are.” Her touch was one pulse point away from too tight.

My hips lifted in reaction. Most women were too gentle, thinking we were as fragile as their sweet softness. I let out a tortured growl as she licked her palm and stroked me hard.

“Tell me your Boy Scout tendencies are intact here in your bedroom.” She flipped off her shirt and finally reached behind herself to unsnap her bra.

My hands went right to her tits as if they were a siren’s call. Her head fell back for a moment as I caressed and cupped her.

“Distracting me,” she moaned.

“Yes.”

“Condom, Thor.”

I reached over to the bedside table and fumbled. My hands weren’t steady.

All her fault.

Impatiently, she slid off me to stretch toward the drawer to do the honors herself. “Well, well. There’s a lot more in here than a box of condoms.”

My neck heated. “I’m open-minded.”

Her eyebrow lifted when she came out with a pair of black steel cuffs. “Are you now?”

I swallowed. “Damn, girl.”

She dropped the cuffs back into the drawer. “I’ll remember those.”

“Yes, please.”

She snatched a condom out of the mess of lubricants, oils, and whatever else ended up in there. The women I’d been with in the past weren’t exactly the shy types—mostly.

She rubbed her breast across my arm before she lifted her leg to get on me like her motorcycle. She dropped the condom on my chest, then braceleted my wrists in each of her strong hands to drag my arms above my head.

“So, do you like to be the cuffer or the cuffee?”

“Take down your hair for me, Ruby.” The plea was nearly a groan. I didn’t even care. I was close to begging at this point.

“That’s not what I asked.”

“I don’t mind being under your control.”

Her eyes flashed. “Hmm.” She lowered her face to mine. When I lifted my head to kiss her, she moved out of reach. “You don’t mind being under my control, right?”

I swallowed. “I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

“Too late.”

She let my wrists free. “Don’t move.”

I groaned, but I left my hands where they were. Suddenly, I wished I’d taken the time to get a proper headboard, because I had a feeling I would need it.

She shimmied down my belly to lower her mouth just above the straining shaft of my cock. She smiled at me as she reached back to tug out her hair tie. All that fiery softness slithered around my belly as she pushed up my shirt, scraping her teeth over my skin then easing the bite with a soft kiss.

I was about ready to jack off into the air, but this time, she hauled my thermal over my head, only to leave it trapping my hands together. She positioned herself on my lap and found the condom that had fallen onto the bed.

“I didn’t get a chance to enjoy all of this the first few times we did this.”

I groaned. “Enjoy all you want.”

“I intend to.” She ripped the foil and took me in hand to roll the latex down my length. Inching forward, she rose up to her full height on her knees. And I was so very grateful for those Amazonian legs right now.

She rolled her hips as she took me. Her head fell back as she slowly lowered herself onto me, inch by torturous inch. Then she tipped her hips forward to take even more.

I struggled out of the shirt binding my hands to reach for her. She didn’t even bother trying to tell me to stay still. I sat up and wrapped my arms around her. I was too far gone to play games as we raced to the sweaty finish. She gripped my shoulders as our bodies synced up, pushing and pulling, accepting and giving.

My hand slid up her slick back to fist her hair. Her eyes flew open and our gazes locked as she rocked against me faster and faster. Sunlight haloed her hair, turning it burnished gold. I lifted my hips to meet her. All my muscles burned, but I couldn’t stop. I wouldn’t let go until she was with me.

She circled my neck with her arms, her lips fusing to mine as I swallowed her groan. She quaked around me from the inside out. I lifted her and flipped her onto her back at the other end of the bed. Nothing mattered but driving into her slick, clasping pussy.

She gripped my hips and took each punching thrust, her hair a wash of flame around her as she accepted everything I offered. Again, we locked eyes, and again, she tried to hide in a biting kiss, but I reared back to watch her.

I cupped the back of her neck, lowering until we were forehead to forehead, my strokes short and tight. “Tish.”

Her gaze burned into me as she twined herself around me and held on for everything she was worth.

I couldn’t wait another second.

I groaned into her neck, pouring myself into her. This was what I’d been looking for all my life. A peace that had always been just out of reach.

Her arms fell away as she starfished across my bed. “I think you killed me.”

I grinned against her skin. “What a way to go.”

“What a way indeed.” She pushed at my shoulder. “Okay. Now I need real food.”

“Seems to be a focus in your life lately.”

“Gotta say I’m not used to working up such an appetite.” After sliding out from under me, she stood up and twirled around. “Jeez, did you have to throw my clothes everywhere?”

I rolled onto my side to enjoy the view. “They were in the way.”

“At least I know they didn’t land in a dusty corner. You are very clean, Thor.”

I shrugged. It was the second time she’d mentioned it. Living on the street where I never knew where I was going to lay my head left me very aware of my surroundings. I might’ve had too much shit all over the place, but everything was spotless.

She tugged on her jeans then leaned onto the bed to give me a quick kiss. “I like it.”

I drifted the back of my fingers over the Batman logos cupping her breasts. “And I like this.”

She laughed. “My brother, Rhett, sent me Batman boxers from this place. I loved them so much I joined a subscription. You should see my Thor ones.”

I growled and tried to drag her back into my bed.

Nimbly, she leaped away. “Nope. Food. A gallon of water. We can go get Butch too.” She strode down the hall. “Chop, chop, Thor.”

I rolled onto my back with a sigh. Damn, she was my perfect woman.

Maybe I’d even get her to watch some action movies with me after we went to get my dog. I missed her.

One day, she might even be our dog. I grinned. A guy could hope.