Page 3

CHAPTER 3

E cho slipped the keycard from her jeans and sipped her drink as they waited for the elevator. He wasn’t handsy, and for that, she was appreciative. Public displays of affection were not her groove. She wanted sex with the big man in the worst way, but if he’d been an ogre about it, she would’ve gone to her room by herself. She hadn’t had sex in ages—and good sex? Well, hell, she wasn’t sure if her memory went back that far. That was back when she was in the military. In other words, ancient history. The man following her to her hotel room could break that pattern, or at least she hoped he would.

She turned to him as the elevator door opened. “Just so you know, this is the first time I’ve ever invited a guy to my room.”

“Could be a dangerous proposition,” Deacon said from beside her. She glanced up at him, and he winked. “Although not with me.”

“Of course not. I’m sure you’re an angel. Don’t worry, if the devil comes out, I can take care of myself.” She’d risen to a Mongkol Seven in Muay Thai and was considered an Assistant Senior Grand Master. She hadn’t met anyone, man or woman, she couldn’t best, and that wasn’t bragging. That was pure, unadulterated confidence born from over twenty years of practicing the art.

“Is that so?” He held out his hand, asking for the key, when she stopped at her room door.

She turned to him and crossed her arms, smiling. “It is so.” He stared at her, raising a single eyebrow. He accepted the card but leaned against the doorjamb. A smile spread. “You know, I have an innate ability to read people. You aren’t bluffing. What discipline?”

She liked the man. He had a wicked sense of humor, and damn, if he wasn’t sex on a stick. Why couldn’t she meet someone like him in the States? Why in the hell did she have to travel halfway around the world to find him for a one-night stand? Her luck sucked sometimes.

“Muay Thai. That was one reason I was excited to come on this trip. Until I was told as soon as I landed that from here, I’d be leaving immediately after my meeting tomorrow morning. So, no visits to the origins of the discipline for me. At least this time.” She walked into the room and put her drink down, and as soon as he shut the door, she walked up to him. “Promise number one.”

Echo smoothed her hands over the man’s chest, and the feel didn’t disappoint. He was hard, not even a hint of softness under her hands. Sliding one hand up to his neck, she lifted to her toes and pulled him down for a kiss. The heady combination of man, aftershave, and soap surrounded him, and she breathed it in as he slowly lowered for a kiss. He dipped once, lightly ghosting over her lips, and her body shivered at the almost-there contact.

“Who’s the tease now?” she whispered against his lips.

His chuckle vibrated her body, but he lowered his lips. The sweep of his tongue requesting entry was the ignition point to a heat that filled her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on. His hands gripped her butt, and he lifted her. Breaking the kiss, she laughed as he lifted her and walked to the bed.

She landed in the middle of the bed with a bounce. She lifted to her elbows and watched him take off his shirt. Oh, Lord, she wasn’t mistaken. The man was cut and absolutely fucking gorgeous. He neatly placed the shirt on the chair beside the bed. He pulled off his boots, and socks and then went for that belt. All the while he stared at her. He flicked open the buckle and then unzipped his slacks. “Last chance.” He gave her the option of stopping.

“As long as you have condoms, we’re not stopping.”

He smiled and pulled out his wallet. Opening it, he pulled out a strip of four and tossed them on the side of the bed. “I come prepared.”

“Obviously.” She laughed. “Keep going. I’m enjoying my show.”

He stepped out of his slacks, leaving on only his snug boxer briefs. She licked her lips. Damn, he would be one hell of a ride. His Adonis belt framed the thin strip of dark hair that ran down and disappeared under the waistband of those briefs. He had several scars, one that looked like a bullet hole, but she dismissed that thought. Who would want to shoot a corporate man? But … wow, was he built.

She couldn’t wait any longer and moved to the bottom of the bed. “Let me help you with that.” She pulled the waistband down and watched as his full and hard cock slapped his stomach when it finally escaped the confines of the fabric. “Damn.” She sat on her heels and looked up at him. “I won the lottery.”

He laughed and bent down to kiss her. “Your turn.”

She lifted the shirt over her head. She was wearing a lace front closure bra she freed herself from immediately. She worked hard in training and knew her body was toned, which was why she wasn't embarrassed to be naked in front of him. She ungracefully dropped back onto the bed and laughed as she lifted her feet to him. “Help.”

He pulled off her shoes and took off her socks, tickling her feet in the process. The first time was probably an accident; the second wasn’t. She shrieked and then laughed, probably a bit too loud, but she was enjoying herself, so screw it if someone in the adjoining rooms had a problem with it.

He grabbed the bottoms of her jeans and tugged. She hurriedly unfastened them, and they were gone in one pull. He crawled up the bed, over her, and then dropped down on top of her. She made room for him between her legs, and he stared at her. “You’re gorgeous.”

“Right back atcha, Sparky.” He groaned at the nickname and dropped his head to her neck before attacking her ribs with the tickle fingers of doom. She squealed and begged him to stop. She was completely out of breath when he did, but she panted. “So, not a fan of Sparky, huh?” He immediately started tickling her again. “Okay, Uncle! Uncle! I give. No more Sparkies!”

With a laugh, he rolled her on top of him. “I believe you made some comment about promises.” His hands traveled up her back and through her hair, resting on the back of her head. Pulling her down, he kissed her. She lost herself in the warm sensation of his body under her. His cock straining between them. As she rolled her hips, he deepened the kiss.

He rolled her again and reached for the condoms. Lifting to his knees, he opened the package. She took the condom from him and rolled it on. His head dropped back, and the sound he made was intoxicating. She fell back to the mattress, and he was over her in a second. “Next time, I’ll go slow. It’s been too long for me.”

“God, me, too. No more foreplay.” She was so on board with sex—as in immediately. Wrapping her legs around his hard body, she sighed as he entered her.

“Fuck, so wet for me.”

“Yeah, sexy as hell does it for me, Sparky.” He stopped his in-and-out motion, and she laughed. “Sorry.”

He shook his head. “I’m going to have to teach you a lesson, aren’t I?” He pushed inside her, and she arched her back, reveling in the feel of being so full.

“Oh, yeah. Teach this to me all night long.” She gripped his shoulders as he pulled out and then slid back inside her. “Please,” she whispered before he dropped a bit, looking for her lips.

The heat at her core was white hot, and she ached. The sensation grew as he moved deep inside her and kissed her. He kept her breathless. The friction swirled through her and swamped her. She met each thrust and pushed her nails into his back, asking for more, and God did he deliver. He broke the kiss and lifted one of her legs, bending it and pinning it against her shoulder. The change in position shattered the ache that had been growing, and with each hard thrust, she tightened. The need to explode teetered right there in the place she hadn’t quite reached. She grabbed his shoulders and demanded, “More.”

His smug smile surprised her. “Lesson learned?”

Bastard. She couldn’t help the huff of laughter in defeat. “God, yes.” She would never call him Sparky again. He drove into her relentlessly, pushing her further and further until she snapped. Her gasp and then moan were probably heard three floors down, but she didn’t care. Deacon came shortly after her and collapsed on top of her before pulling out. He got up and disposed of the condom, went to the bathroom, and washed before coming back to bed with a warm washcloth for her, which was something no one had ever done for her before. He slid in, and she tucked up next to him. As they laid there, he played with her hair as they floated back to normal breathing. Finally, she poked him.

“You’re a dick,” she said, causing him to laugh.

“In a good way?” he asked.

She lifted on her elbow but had to reposition because she landed on her hair and yanked her head down. “Ouch.” She lifted again and pulled all her hair behind her before turning back to him. “Tell me, in all your wandering in the world, have you ever heard of someone being a dick in a good way?”

He sighed and scratched his chest. “Well, I’ve heard of dicking someone good.”

“Well, you did do that,” she agreed. “But that bit at the end there. Uncool.”

“Oh, you mean edging you?” He chuckled. “I wouldn’t have lasted much longer. You’re exceptionally hot, and I haven’t had sex this good in quite a while.”

She rolled her eyes. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

He shook his head. “I don’t lie.”

She frowned. “Ever? Like you’re George Washington?”

He blinked and then laughed, grabbing her hair and moving her toward him. Before kissing her, he said, “Lies complicate everything.” He kissed her, and she almost lost her train of thought. Damn, what he could do to her mind was breathtaking.

She shook her head. The fog of wanting more had started moving in. “Haven’t you ever told a white lie to protect someone’s feelings?”

He shook his head. “Not that I can recall. If I have nothing nice to say, I don’t say anything.”

She slid on top of him and inched back against his cock. “So, if I asked if I tripped your wire sexually, you’d say?”

“Every fucking wire I have and some I didn’t know I had.” He cupped her breasts in his hands as she slowly and gently made figure eights with her hips. His thumbs worked the nipples until they pebbled. She dropped her head back, and a soft moan fell from her open mouth. His cock thickened under her.

“And if we ever meet again, will you act like you don’t know me?”

He shook his head. “Has someone done that to you?”

She scrunched her nose at him. “I’m being hypothetical.”

“A very specific question for being hypothetical.” He rolled her nipples between his fingers, and she gasped. Rivers of electricity connected directly to her core and zapped her with amazing strength.

“Ah … answer the question.”

“No, I’d never act like I didn’t know you. I would, however, read the room and be respectful.”

She smiled at him, then leaned forward, her hands on his shoulders. “Time for another promise. You ready?”

He lifted his hips. “You tell me.”

She felt his length and leaned over, grabbing the strip of condoms. She pulled one off and opened it. When he made the move to help, she shook her head. “No. I’ve got this.” She rolled the condom down his length and then moved over him. For some reason, she wanted this night to be the best sex he’d ever had. Ever. The why wasn’t important. She was going to pull out all the stops. She slid down his cock and used her quad muscles to gyrate on his cock, watching as his chest started to heave. The feel of his legs shaking under her gave her a major rush and a feeling of control that made her fly. That was until his fingers found her clit. The first swipe over the sensitive nub zapped a megawatt of lightning straight to her core. When he started to rub it with his thumb, her rhythm went straight to hell. Her best-laid plans crumbled as she jerked, and her body splintered. Her core clenched in that reverberating cascade of contractions. The air in the room disappeared, and red and white explosions shattered behind her eyelids. She dropped to Deacon’s chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. Lifting his legs, he thrust into her from his position under her. The change of position triggered more of those gripping ripples of pure physical perfection. She felt him hilt inside her, and as she clenched, he came. It was the best sex she’d ever had.

She slid off him into a boneless puddle of goo and panted, “Why can’t you live in Virginia?”

“Right?” He huffed and continued to breathe deeply. “Fuck, you’re addictive.”

She lifted her head. “Right back at you, Sparky.”

He laughed. “I’ll make you pay for that.”

“No doubt.” She pulled the sheet over them. “Do you ever go back to the States?”

“Every couple of months or so.”

“I’ll give you my number. I wouldn’t mind meeting up again.”

He kissed the top of her head. “That sounds like a plan.”

She closed her eyes and yawned. “Power nap?”

“Perfect,” he said and turned, pulling her closer. The smell of this man and their sex hung heavy in the air, but it was perfection. Who knew she’d have to fly halfway around the world to find someone she’d want to spend more time with? She’d give him her number. Drawing a deep breath, she let it out slowly. He wouldn’t call, but that was the way of things. The flight, the sex, and the purple monster drinks settled on her, and she closed her eyes.