Hard Ride Read online

  “Don’t rush away so fast.”

  She glanced at his face questioningly, then at his nipples, which were hard as beads. She ran her fingertips over them, noticing the catch in his breath. Then she leaned forward and licked one, then took the little bead in her mouth, and began to suck.

  “Oh, fuck, yeah, Liv.”

  She sucked harder and he groaned.

  He took her hand and pressed it to his cock. She wrapped her fingers around it, through the thin fabric of his boxers, and squeezed, making him groan again. When she began to stroke him up and down, he knew this would end too quickly.

  He stood up and walked to his dresser, then opened the drawer and pulled out a pair of handcuffs.

  Her gaze locked on them as he returned to her.

  He would take this opportunity to show her that she could give total control to a man, and if he cared for her, he would be devoted to her pleasure. Not like that bastard who had hurt her.

  “Get on the bed.”

  She stood up and walked to the bed, then stretched out on it. He snapped a cuff around one of her wrists, threaded the chain around an intricately carved section of the wrought-iron headboard, then cuffed her other wrist. Then he stepped back, taking in the glorious sight of her stretched out on the bed before him.

  “Open your legs.”

  She obeyed, her cheeks flushing. He stepped to the side of the bed, stroking his hard, aching cock.

  “Now suck me.” He pressed his cockhead against her cheek.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  She turned toward him and he directed his cock toward her mouth. When her lips parted, he glided his tip inside.

  “Now, slave, suck hard,” he demanded.

  It was so hot and moist in her mouth, he twitched in need. Heat pulsed through him.

  “I’m close. Make me come.”

  She bobbed up and down, then sucked the tip of him hard, then bobbed again. Her hot mouth sent pleasure rocking through him.

  “Fuck, that’s so good.”

  Then she squeezed him inside and pleasure blasted through him, his pelvis rocked forward, and he erupted in her mouth. She kept sucking as he flooded into her, filling her mouth with his hot seed.

  When he finished, she continued to suck softly, then licked around his cockhead before she released him and drew her mouth away.

  He could get used to this. Her obeying his commands. Not challenging him.

  He sat on the bed beside her and stroked her breasts lightly with his fingertips. Her nipples peaked into tight buds. He leaned down and suckled one in his mouth, to her soft whimpers of appreciation.

  He slid his hand down her stomach, and lightly caressed her between her thighs and along her slick slit. She whimpered louder. He brushed his lips against her hip as he continued to slide his fingers along her folds.

  “Open wider.”

  She spread her legs wider and he gazed at the wet, intimate flesh in front of him. His cock, although emptied, twitched at the sight. He leaned down and licked her.

  “Oh, yes,” she moaned.

  He climbed onto the bed and knelt between her legs, then licked her slit again. Then he drove his tongue into her. Her soft moans encouraged him.

  He opened her folds and slipped a finger inside her, then another. As he gently thrust into her, he found her clit with his other hand and stroked it.

  “Ohhh.” She lifted her hips higher.

  Shock continued to thrust and tease. Her moans increased. He teased her little button faster and she whimpered, then moaned louder.

  He wanted to see her face in sweet rapture. He looked up at her, burying his tongue in her hot flesh and licking her clit.

  Then she gasped and moaned her release, long and loud. The sound of her pleasure vibrated through him, giving him intense pleasure, too.

  As her orgasm subsided, he climbed all the way onto the bed and covered her body with his.

  His cock was hard with need and he pressed it against her, teasing her sensitized clit, eliciting more muffled sounds of pleasure. Then he drove into her, loving the sound of her gasp and of the way her eyes widened.

  “Do you like me inside you?” he asked.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Fuck, the sound of her calling him “Sir,” especially with his cock sunk deep inside her, sent need pulsing through him. He drew back and surged deep again. Her eyes widened as he swirled around inside her.

  Then he stopped.

  “Do you want me to fuck you?” he asked.

  She gazed up at him and nodded.

  He pressed harder into her.

  “Tell me,” he demanded.

  “Please fuck me, Sir.”

  He smiled and drew back, then drove deep again. She was so soft and warm around him. Her body so accepting of his.

  “Tell me more. Why do you want me to fuck you?”

  He wanted to hear how much she needed him.

  “Yes, Sir. I want you. Your cock filling me … it makes me feel good.”

  He thrust deep again, then drew back until he was almost at the point of pulling out entirely. “Do you need me inside you?”

  “Yes.” She wrapped her legs around him and arched, trying to force him farther inside, but he drew back a little, teasing her. “It feels so good when you’re deep inside me. Please, I need you.”

  Fuck, those were the words he wanted to hear. That she needed him. He’d always wanted to hear them.

  He drove forward, filling her to the hilt, then pulled back and thrust again, then kept on thrusting until her moans turned to wails and she gasped and cried out in ecstasy.

  She tightened her legs around him as she found her release in his arms, and he erupted inside her, joining her in a joint journey to total fulfillment.

  A few moments later, he realized he was lying on top of her with his full weight and she probably couldn’t breathe. He rolled away and unfastened the cuffs, then pulled her into his arms. She snuggled against his chest and he sighed, enjoying the feel of her within the confines of his embrace.

  Soon her even breathing told him she was asleep. He stroked her hair, loving her so close to him.

  Loving her.

  God, he had to find a way to convince her she loved him just as much as he loved her, because he knew, with everything he was, that he would not be able to let go of her at the end of the month.

  * * *

  Liv woke up in Shock’s strong arms, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat in her ear.

  She could get used to this. Waking up in his arms.

  Last night had been … surprising. She never thought she’d enjoy being ordered around by a man, but with Shock it was pure pleasure. For some reason, she responded easily to his control, at least in the bedroom. It wasn’t like when he lectured her or was disapproving of her actions. When he commanded her in the bedroom, she could just give herself over to him and their shared pleasure.

  Because she trusted him. In fact, she realized he was the only person in the world she truly did trust.

  His lips brushed against the back of her neck and his arms tightened around her.

  “Did you sleep well?” he asked, his voice husky from sleep.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  She smiled as she felt his cock swell. She could tell last night that her calling him “Sir” was a real turn-on for him.

  And it certainly was for her.

  She turned in his arms to face him and he kissed her. Sweet and tenderly. When their lips parted, she smiled.

  “Would you like me to make you breakfast, Sir?” she asked.

  “No, you stay right here. I’ll make you one of my special omelets.” He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her. Then he rolled from the bed and stood up.

  She watched him walk to the bathroom door, enjoying the sight of his tight, sexy butt. Then she lay back and stared at the ceiling, remembering how delightful it had been to follow his commands last night. She must have dozed off in the midst of her reverie, because when she opened her eyes, she
realized Shock was gone.

  Liv got out of bed and showered, then dried her hair and dressed. As she walked down the stairs, she could hear several voices, probably the others having breakfast.

  She walked into the living room on her way to the kitchen and froze when she saw Wild Card. He was the only person in the room and sat in the armchair facing the window. When he turned toward her, she immediately dropped her gaze to the stars silhouetted by red, purple, and blue swirls tattooed on his arm. Her cheeks flamed as she remembered stripping practically naked in front of him, then throwing herself at him.

  “Oh, good morning,” she said.

  He gazed at her with his warm hazel eyes and his initial smile faded as he realized she could barely look at him.

  “Hey, you’re not going to let it get all weird between us, are you?”

  “I’m … really sorry about last night.”

  He stood up and walked toward her. “You are going to let it get weird.” He took her hand. “Look, I loved it, okay? Come on. A naked woman kissing me?”

  His infectious grin relaxed her a little. He wasn’t judging her.

  “I mean, sure,” he teased, “her then choosing her boyfriend over me hurt a little, but I get it.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “So, we good?”

  She gazed into his hazel eyes and smiled timidly. “Yeah, of course.”

  “Liv, you coming for breakfast?”

  She turned to see Shock standing in the kitchen doorway, watching them. His sharp gaze dropped to their joined hands and Liv immediately drew her hand from Wild Card’s.

  In the kitchen, Shock served her an omelet, toast, and coffee, and she sat with Steele and Tempest and shared small talk, conscious of Shock’s silence. After breakfast, she helped Shock with the dishes, wondering if he was going to give her the silent treatment all day.

  “I thought we’d do something special today,” he said as he wiped his hands on a towel, the pots all clean in the dish drainer by the sink.

  “Like what?” she asked, relieved he was speaking to her.

  “There’s a small island on the lake with a nice beach. I thought we might go over there, just the two of us. Take a picnic lunch.”

  She smiled. “That sounds nice.”

  * * *

  Shock watched her as the light breeze caught her hair and it fluttered around her face as the canoe skimmed through the water. He steered and she paddled in front of him. A pair of loons swam a few yards from them and she turned her head to watch them. His heart thumped at the sight of her profile. Her pert, upturned nose, her lips, parted slightly, the crinkle around her eyes as she smiled at the feathery little creatures.

  She was always so willful, so prone to putting herself into questionable situations, but he’d seen another side of her now. He’d seen the depth of her vulnerability. Yet her strength in spite of that vulnerability impressed him.

  He would have never guessed what had happened to her in college. She was like the loons swimming near them. On the surface, they seemed calm, gliding through the water effortlessly, but beneath them their feet were moving in a mad, fluttering pace to maintain that façade.

  Another loon called in the distance, a lonely, haunting sound.

  What the hell had he been thinking, insisting she be his for a month?

  But he couldn’t help himself. He’d wanted her.

  Hell, he’d wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life.

  So when the opportunity presented itself, he’d jumped at it.

  He steered the canoe around to the other side of the island. When they landed on the beach, he steadied the boat while she stepped onto the sand. He pulled out the cooler they had brought while she carried a couple of bags packed with stuff.

  Shock spread a blanket on the sand and invited her to sit, then handed her a cold bottle of pink lemonade.

  “This is nice,” she said, looking out over the water.

  Maybe he shouldn’t have forced her to be here, but he wouldn’t give up this time with her for anything.

  She glanced at him, catching his gaze on her face. “What?”

  “I was just thinking I’m glad you’re here.”

  “On the island?”

  “The whole thing.”

  “You mean you’re glad I needed money and asked you for it?”

  Hell, no. He wished she were here because she wanted to be with him.

  “Sure,” he answered. If she wanted to keep it flip, so would he. “Why did you borrow the money, anyway?”

  Her gaze jolted to his. “I thought you were okay with not knowing.”

  “You can’t blame me for being curious. It’s quite a lot of money. I can’t help wondering how you got yourself into such a huge mess that you needed that much. You have a good job, yet you don’t even have a decent place to live … and you needed that much cash?” He shrugged again. “I know you’re rash, but I just never thought you’d get yourself in that deep.”

  She shook her head, her eyes taking on a disturbing clarity. “You think I”—she shook her head—“what? Gambled? Lost a ton of money and owed someone? Or maybe you think I’m into drugs?” Her eyes flashed as she held up her bare arms, then ran her hand over each one as if to show there were no needle marks. “You really think I’m a stupid little bitch, don’t you?”

  He didn’t let her anger throw him. She deserved to blow off some steam.

  “No, I didn’t think either of those things. Not about you.”

  She held her head up in defiance. “Then what did you think?”

  “I didn’t know what to think, but the fact is, you did need a lot of money. That means bad decisions made.” He frowned. “Like maybe that guy I saw you with at the bar.”

  Her eyebrow arched. “The guy who tried to pick me up, then attacked us later? What would that have to do with the money I needed?”

  “No, the other guy. The second night.” He leaned toward her. “What happened, Liv? Were you in some kind of relationship with him? Did he con you out of money?”

  She gazed at him and the pain in her face caught him off guard. That was it. She’d been in a relationship with that guy and he’d played her.

  “Fuck, Liv. You always were more giving than you could afford. And you trust people too much.”

  Her eyes widened and the sheen warned him she was close to shedding tears. “I … trust … people … too … much?” she repeated, each word an effort for her to say. “So … you think what happened to me was my own fault.”

  “Getting into debt?” He was confused. Of course it was her fault.

  But she shook her head and he suddenly realized what she was really asking.

  His heart clenched. “No, Liv. I didn’t mean that.”

  She turned and strode away from him, but not before he saw the glitter of tears streaking down her face. He rushed forward and caught her arm.

  “Liv, I’m sorry,” he said, turning her around to face him. “Of course I don’t think that.”

  She glared at him, her expression fierce. “You’ve always criticized me for being too rash—lectured me that it would get me into trouble.” She shrugged her arm from his hold and stepped back. “And you were right, weren’t you? I’m still getting into trouble.” She dropped her head, staring at the ground. “That’s how I wound up here.”

  With him. She didn’t say it, but it was what she meant.

  “I don’t want you to be in trouble, Liv. Nothing about you being in pain makes me happy.” He reached for her but she took another step backward, keeping a distance between them. “That’s why I helped you. Liv, I’ll always be there to help you.”

  * * *

  Liv stared at him, blinking back the tears she didn’t want to shed, even though some had already escaped. She couldn’t hide them from him, but she could at least try to maintain a level of dignity and strength.

  “I don’t need you to be there.”

  God, she sounded ungrateful. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling way
too vulnerable.

  “I mean”—she swatted away the tears pushing from her eyes—“I appreciate what you’ve done. And I will pay you back. But then I’ll rely on myself.”

  * * *

  This time he was able to capture her hand before she could escape, and she offered no resistance as he held it in his.

  “I know, Liv. And you’ll do an amazing job. I just wanted you to know you could call on me if you want.”

  Then he pulled her into his arms and held her close. Wanting to protect her. From life. From all the bad things around her.

  From herself and her fierce desire to stand on her own and to face the worst in life even when help was standing right beside her.

  Her resistance seeped away, and she melted against him, her head resting against his chest. He rested his chin on top of her head, her soft hair wisping around his chin with the breeze.

  He could stand here forever, just holding her like this.

  * * *

  Liv helped Shock carry the stuff back from the canoe to the house. She had enjoyed the picnic on the island, relaxing with Shock, enjoying the sunshine, the sound of the water, and just being with him.

  “I have to go into town for a meeting this afternoon,” Shock said.

  “Oh, what kind of meeting?”

  “The company I use to manage the property we’re staying at and the law firm I use for a lot of my business dealings are in town. Anytime I’m here, I arrange to go in and meet with them.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you want to come with me? I’ll be busy for a few hours, but you could do some exploring, then we can meet for dinner. There’s a great restaurant overlooking the lake.”

  “That sounds really nice. Should I change into something different?” But she wasn’t sure what that would be. All she had were the biker chick clothes Shock had arranged for her, and the fancy dress she’d worn out to dinner, but that wasn’t really appropriate for wandering around a small town in the afternoon.

  “No, you’re fine. I’m going in this,” he said, gesturing to his worn jeans and T-shirt.

  He picked up her leather jacket and held it for her. She slipped her arms in the sleeves and zipped it up as he pulled on his own jacket. Soon she was sitting behind him on his Harley as they zipped along the highway into town.