Page 18 of Sure Shot
In the ordinary world, nobody gives me orders. I’ve arranged my entire life around my independence. But here in Tank’s world, up is down and down is up. Before he even finishes speaking, I’m unbuttoning his polo shirt and lifting it off.
“That’s a girl,” he whispers, and the praise makes my heart beat faster. And now Tank’s chest and I are reacquainted. My hands slide over the ridges of his abs, and I’m just settling in to explore further when he cups my chin and takes my mouth in a kiss.
I go still with surprise. After all, it’s been nine years since anyone kissed me with such easy arrogance. It was just the same on that fateful night when I turned twenty-one. His first kiss stunned me with its boldness.
But then his firm lips soften against my mouth, and I’m already pressing back, looking for more.Oh, right. This man has a black belt in kissing. He tilts his head to draw me closer, and I open for him like I always did before. His tongue sweeps against mine as he tastes me.
Suddenly I’m twenty-one again, and totally bowled over by Tank’s tongue in my mouth. It happened just like this. Red wine, followed by sudden kisses in a hotel room. Strong arms wrapping around my waist, pulling me in. A wide palm on my ass, nudging me nearer to the column of his erection.
I’m all in. I don’t try to resist him. I can’t think of a reason why I should. I can’t think at all.
His kiss grows deeper and more demanding. My poor little body puts up no defenses. I melt against him. My head is full of peaceful static. I’m perfectly content to stay here in this quiet place, lip-locked and breathing in sync with the best lover I’ve ever known.
But eventually he breaks off our kiss and lifts me.
“Tank,” I whisper as my feet leave the ground. This is my last chance to be rational.
“Yeah,” he grunts, carrying me toward what I can only assume is the bedroom.
“What are we doing?”
He doesn’t answer for a moment, possibly because I weigh a few more pounds than I did at twenty-one and he needs to concentrate. He drops me on the bed and answers the question. “What I always do, Bess. Just seeing what I can get away with.”
He settles beside me on the mattress, scrutinizing my heaving chest and the way my dress rides up on my thighs. His body flexes as he leans over me—sculpted by intense physical conditioning, plus a generous helping of genetic good fortune.
And I forget why I asked the question at all.
Six
The Cave Man in Action
Tank
Bess staresup at me with wide-eyed wonder. But a second ago, she’d tried to call me on my bullshit.What are we doing?
Like I even know. Like Ieverknow. She might’ve thought I’d seemed wise at twenty-three, but I’d been a stupid kid with three skills—hockey, smack talk, and sex.
Now we’re having another go at that last thing. I feel wild tonight, and I know Bess feels it, too. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks trapped deep inside my head. I want out, and I know just how to get there.
“Kick off your shoes,” I growl. “Let’s go.”
For a split second, I think she’s going to roll her eyes and tell me to fuck off. She pushes me out of the way and stands.
My heart drops.
But instead of leaving this madman’s hotel room, she takes my face in two hands and kisses me sweetly. And then? She toes out of her shoes.
Hallelujah. I lay another scorching kiss on her. We were always so good together. And maybe it’s like riding a bike, because the kiss goes from zero to sixty in under six seconds. I push my tongue into her mouth to show her just what I need. And her hands skate across my chest as she lets me know that she needs it, too.
I lift the little dress she’s wearing and shove her panties down. Bess moans, and unbuttons my khaki shorts with quick fingers.
I’d weep with joy if it wouldn’t slow down the action. Instead, I yank down her zipper, remove her dress, and toss it aside. And—holy hell—I’ve got a hot, naked woman in my arms. Her face is flushed, her lips bitten by my kisses. And the expression in her eyes is one I haven’t seen from anyone in years. Pure lust.
“Goddamn, honey,” I babble, my gaze sweeping down her lovely body. “Thirty looks hot on you.” I skim a grateful hand down her milky skin, my fingertips just brushing the trimmed red hair at the top of her sex.
“Fuck,” she gasps.
The shocked, dirty word makes me absolutely throb. I yank my shorts down, finishing the job she’d started, kicking off my briefs after that. “Lie down,” I practically snarl, my self-control paper thin.
