Wrong Side of the Tracks by Ashley Zakrzewski

ChapterTwo

Tarik rounded the back corner of the Wake farthest from the parking lot, eager to fulfill his earlier promise. He slowed to a stop. Julia waited in the pale wash of moonlight, on her damned phone.

He clenched his jaw, then worked it loose when realizing he had no right to be annoyed. They were complete strangers who were hooking up. Back here, they could fuck among the privacy of the giant oaks, if she was alright with that. If she was loud, well, that was on her.

He studied the woman whose bold inspection had given him a hard-on earlier while working the outdoor bar. She was beautiful—stunningly so. The dark brown eyes he had noticed when making her drink were animated, windows to her thoughts. He liked that. Reading women could be a pain in the ass; he had a trail of mistakes littered throughout his forty-two, coming up on forty-three years.

The body-skimming gray tank highlighted toned arms and a nice rack, and the baggy, torn jeans didn’t detract from her toned body. It was obvious that a sweet ass was hidden from his hungry hands and eyes. That dark thick hair of hers was pulled up into a messy something, exposing an elegant neck. Yeah, he had noticed it all. How could he not? He rolled his lips in anticipation of sampling the taste of her.

He chuckled softly to himself. If her intention had been to fit in at the Wake tonight, it was an epic failure; she had arrived with the confidence born of the Cliffs’ silver spoon.

She was animated now. Angry. Clipped speech carried his way. Her left hand fisted and opened repeatedly, as if she wanted to punch something. He wasn’t close enough to overhear.

Twigs cracked under his boots as he renewed his approach.

Her eyes snapped to his.

Julia said goodbye to whoever she had been talking to and flashed him a smile. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” He glanced at the phone then back at her. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just a little hiccup. The friends I came with want to leave.” Her eyes held his as she slid the phone into the hip pocket.

He reached for her hand, not missing how those shapely breasts pebbled under her clinging tank.

“How much time do we have?”

“I negotiated thirty minutes,” Julia said, tucking her phone against her hip and in her pocket.

Thirty minutes. Not much, yet he sensed those minutes were going to be more than a hookup. The beginning of an addiction.

“My friends are ready to go home, so I set my timer.” She added. “They’re pretty pissed.”

“I don’t appreciate being timed. You and me? We’re organic.”

She accessed her phone, canceled the timer, and eased it back into her pocket.

Laughter escaped him. “You brave thing. They know what you’re up to?”

“Well, I told them I met a guy and we were having a nice discussion.”

“Discussion. Mm. Our bodies talking to each other.”

“Yes,” she murmured, then swallowed audibly.

“You’re sure?”

Julia let out a long breath, then spoke quietly, her voice cracking a little. “I am. Something tells me I’ll regret it if I don’t do this with you. Hooking up with a guy I don’t know … I haven’t done it.”

Considering the earlier confidence she displayed, the uncertainty and admission surprised him. “Are you scared?”

“Hell no. I’m so excited I can barely breathe.”

“Come with me, Julia. Let’s take care of you.” Tarik inclined his head toward the enormous trees and the velvety black shadows. “There’re large trees that will give us privacy.”

She walked next him, holding his hand as he led them into the opening among the giant oaks. He stopped and looked around. They were hidden.

“Can you see?” He brushed her face with his knuckles.

“Better than I expected. Just enough light from the moon.”

“Maybe keep your tank on. The bark—”

She was already pulling it over her head. Christ, she cut to the chase. Her tits looked ready to spill out of the bra. She reached up and freed her hair and shook it. Fuck. It was thick and glossy, past her shoulders.

She reached in front to undo the front clasp, but he placed a hand over hers.

“Let me.”

She stepped toward him, eyes heavy-lidded with lust and wearing an expectant expression. “You said rough.”

“Fuck me and find out, Julia.”

“I intend to.”

She gasped as he made quick work of the bra and palmed her breasts. They overflowed in his large hands. He worked the nipples into tight buds.

Their breaths were frenzied.

Tarik was so damned hard; she was going to have trouble with his zipper. He wondered if he should take her immediately or draw it out until both of them had to chase the burning ache? Savoring her would best satisfy them both and hopefully be memorable, if he could last.

Julia shivered as his hands released her breasts and skimmed lightly over the soft skin of her firm belly to unbuckle the belt holding up the jeans. He undid the fly and they puddled to the ground. She kicked them away. All she wore was a matching thong. Jesus. Sleek, toned legs.

She hooked her thumbs in the sides of thong. “Off?”

Tarik groaned. If possible, he was harder. “Not yet,” he said hoarsely, pulling the tee over his head and dropping it on the ground.

“I want to touch you.” She didn’t wait for permission.

He liked that she didn’t rush. Her hands were warm on his skin, her expression thoughtful as she explored the inked planes of his shoulders, chest, and abs. Julia paused at his belt and gave him an impish smile as she undid it and then, with some effort, his button fly.

His fingers easily circled around her slender wrist, thwarting her from grasping him.

Her eyes snapped to his, confused.

He pressed his forehead against hers, then looked deeply into her eyes. “Both hands. One on my balls and the other on my cock. Make me feel good, Julia, but do not make me come. That’s for you.”

He eased his fingers under her thong and her eyes opened wider as he slid one finger and then two into her wet channel.

“I’m going to make you feel good, too. No coming,” he said sternly. “I’ll stop.”

Her body was greedy for his touch, pushing against him, encouraging more.

Muffled by their rasping breaths, he barely heard her. “'kay.”

* * *

Julia cupped him with both hands as directed, relishing the size of him and the play of expressions on his face. It was erotic, touching each like this, still partially dressed. Watching each other as they kept one another on the edge.

His eyes were riveted on hers as she explored him, changing shade in the dappled moonlight. What did they look like during the day? She wanted to drop to her knees and take him in her mouth, something she avoided in previous relationships. But with him, the need was overpowering.

“You want to suck me off,” he said with a rasping voice.

She nodded.

“Next time. This isn’t going to be enough for either of us.”

Delirious, she couldn’t speak and nodded again. What the hell was happening?

She whimpered as he removed his fingers. “This is going to be fast and furious, Julia. Rough, like you wanted,” he said, reaching into a pocket before shucking his boots and jeans. He picked up his tee, shook it, and handed it to her. “Put it on. It’ll protect you.”

The scent of him engulfed her. She was touched by the caring action of a stranger, feeling protected.

He handed her a foil package. “Do the honors.”

He hooked the sides of her thong and slid it off, sharply sucking in air between his teeth. “Fuck. Beautiful,” he murmured, breathing hard, covering her waxed mound with a hand, and gazing at her as she covered him. “I’m barely holding on.”

“Let’s get those pretty legs of yours around me,” he lifted her easily, checking that her backside was covered, before pressing her against the tree. Her sandals dropped onto the ground. He pulled the front of his tee up so that her breasts were visible. “Mm-mm,” he said, his eyes drinking them in appreciatively.

She cried out when he latched on to one. It was sheer pleasure as he leisurely licked, and sucked, and teethed her nipple and then the other. His mouth was wet when he looked up. “Damn. You holdin' on good?”

Panting heavily, her pulse in overdrive, she answered, “Yes.”

“Make sure you are.”

“Please. I can’t wait any longer.”

“Neither can I.” With that he rammed all the way in, then slowed his pace, trying to give her time to accommodate his size and allow for him to relish the slick contours of her heat.

One arm braced against the tree, he thrust home fully each time, watching her carefully. He stopped, his chest heaving, eyes darkened to the color of malachite. “Let yourself go.” A guttural groan poured out of him as he plunged in, balls deep. “Embrace the pleasure, Julia.”

Suspended in the moment before shattering, the thought that she could happily die now, having experienced the best sex of her life, flitted through her mind. She melted and whimpered as she came apart, euphoric, her orgasm reverberating with his, propelling her to a boneless state.

A chorus of yelling voices kept her from losing consciousness. “Julia! Julia! Are you out here? Julia!”

He pulled out. “Answer and keep them away. I’ll help you dress.”

Her voice was shaky, like her rubbery limbs. The first effort to call back was croaky and didn’t carry. “I’m coming! Meet you in the lot!” She gathered her wits and oxygen while putting her bra and tank back on.

“You okay?” Worry was evident in Haven’s question.

“Totally! Be there in two!”

Jeans on, zipped but unbuttoned and belt unbuckled, he helped her back into hers.

“My thong? Do you see it?” She slipped into her sandals.

His broad chest moved from exertion. “I’m not in the mood for company. You’d better get going.”

She didn’t want to leave. She wanted another round with him. “See you around.” Christ, that was weak. “Thank you.”

He gave her a crooked grin, amusement saturating his amazing eyes, which had lightened to hazel. “It was my pleasure.”