Clinch (The Underground Book 2) (22 page)

She moaned.

Perfect. Just what he wanted. That sweet spot would shoot her arousal sky high.

After a series of spanks to the upper buttocks, he lowered to the backs of her thighs, skipping the juncture. She was sweating, and the sounds coming from her mouth were foreign. She had no idea she was making them. He could easily make her come.

Instead he continued to swat her behind, raining the blows in no particular pattern, only occasionally hitting that sweet juncture of her thighs and cheeks.

Finally, he swatted her hard, low and centered. It would shake her pussy.

Katie screamed out. “Oh. God. Please.”

“That’s my good girl.” He soothed her skin, not giving her what she wanted. “Can you take more?”

“I need to come. Please, Leo, let me come.”

He ignored her plea. “Can you take more?” he repeated.

She hesitated and then nodded into the pillow.

He repeated his actions with a new series of swats, watching her ass as it pinkened more with every slap of his palm. Her skin was so thin and white, she looked gorgeous covered in the pink swollen handprints. He didn’t spank her as hard as he had other women in his past. She wouldn’t have been able to take it. And he had no intention of breaking the skin.

But the glow…

He fought the moan that rose in his throat at the vision of his woman sprawled out before him, obeying his commands. Her legs parted. Her ass in the air. Her body in formation for him to do with as he pleased.

It was heady, especially since the subject was a woman he held in such high regard. A woman he could picture himself spending his life with.

He shook the thought from his head. He needed to stop thinking in terms of forever with Katie.

If only his life was up to her standards. Her mother would have a field day with Katie dating a Russian fighter. He knew he would never put her in that position. He would never meet her parents. He would never stay so long that it came to that.

He couldn’t.

It wouldn’t be fair to her.

She was way out of his league, and he knew it.

But Lord how he wanted to pretend for a while. Pretend she was his and that they lived in a different dimension where rich, snobby parents welcomed tattooed, slightly-under-the-radar MMA fighters with no formal education and little money.

Yeah. That was a make-believe world. And he wouldn’t force Katie to make that decision. When this was all over, and he was sure she was safe, he would slip away.

Oh. God.

The need.

The driving need.

She wasn’t sure what it was she even needed.

The feel of his rough palm against her bare skin was amazing. It took her breath away, and her sanity. She didn’t care. It took her troubles with it too.

She began to crave the next swat of his hand, each blow easing her further and further into a space in her head that was calm and comforting. A quiet room where she had no worries. No dead patients. No break-ins. No crazy exes. No meddling mothers…

Every time his hand hit right at the juncture of her ass and thighs, she grew closer to coming. From a
spanking
.

The heat of her ass felt soothing in a way. It warmed her.

“You like this a little too much, sweet girl.” He chuckled, releasing her to climb off the bed.

She didn’t move. Couldn’t. Instead, she listened, imagining him removing his jeans following the sound of his zipper. His shoes hit the floor with a thud. And then he was between her legs again. The tear of a condom wrapper filled the silence.

Thank God.

“I’m going to take you in this position. Spread your legs wider, babe.”

She inched her wobbly knees out, her pussy so ready for him.

And then he was at her entrance.

And then he was inside her.

And then she was screaming his name.

“That’s my girl,” he muttered as he grabbed her hips and fucked her fast and hard.

He stopped speaking. She could hear his breathing. Heavy, but not as heavy as her own that was making her ears ring.

His grip on her hips tightened, grounding her. She never wanted anything so badly in her life.

When one hand snaked around to reach for her clit, he thrust into her a final time and held himself steady, pinching the bundle of nerves as he froze. “Come for me, Katie. Now.” His words were gritted out on the edge of his own orgasm, and he sighed loudly as his cock emptied inside her.

She followed on his heels, unable to stop herself. The power in his words was impressive. She could probably come from across a room if he commanded it.

She was in that deep.

»»•««

The sun was barely peeking through the blinds when she opened her eyes. She was on her belly, a sheet draped around her shoulders, but her ass was bare to the air.

Suddenly, she was cold. She winced as she rolled onto her back, the cool sheets soothing her skin. He’d rubbed lotion into her pink butt for a long time, but it was going to be sore.

She didn’t care. It was worth it.

Leo rolled in her direction and lifted up onto his elbow. He brushed a lock of hair from her face and smiled down at her. “You okay?”

“Better than.”

“I didn’t spank you too hard?”

She shook her head, her face heating up. She’d rather not have this discussion.

He lifted her chin. “Look at me.”

She did, blinking.

“Always be honest. I have to know what you like and don’t like so I can tweak my game plan the next time.”

“It was all good. Trust me.”

“Okay.” He kissed her nose. “Coffee?”

She nodded. “I’m going to jump in the shower. People will start showing up at eight.”

“Eight. Got it. Plenty of time.” He rolled the other way from the bed, and she watched his naked ass as he strolled from the room, not bothering to cover himself. The tattoos on his back were amazing—intricate Cyrillic letters.

“They’re so sexy,” she muttered, not realizing she’d spoken out loud.

He turned in the doorway and frowned. “What?”

“The words on your back.”

He smiled. “Ah. Those.”

“Beautiful,” she whispered.

Leo shrugged and headed for the bathroom.

She heard the water come on in the shower, and then she saw him leave the bathroom and turn toward the kitchen area. How damn thoughtful.

By the time she hauled herself to the small glass enclosure, the water was already hot. She moaned as it ran down her body, not moving for long minutes.

His voice made her flinch and open her eyes. “You keep making that noise, you’ll never make it downstairs on time.” He grinned as he set a steaming cup on the vanity and left the room, still gloriously naked.

She took her time, even though she heard her damn cell ring while she shampooed her hair. It rang again when she was conditioning, and Leo brought it in and set it on the counter. “The display says Mom.”

He walked back out. This time he was wearing jeans. Nothing else. She didn’t know what was sexier, his ass encased in low-riding denim or his bare muscles open to her gaze. It was a toss-up.

When she shut the water off and reached for a towel, she finally turned around and twisted her head to see her butt in the mirror on the back of the door. Pink, but not too bad.

“I’ll put more lotion on it.” He leaned near her in the doorjamb, sipping coffee.

She nearly jumped out of her skin. He was so quiet and stealthy. She hadn’t bothered to shut the door. What difference did it make at this point, but her place was so small that from any given spot on the floor, anyone could see nearly every corner. “I can do it.”

“I’m sure you can.” He leaned in and kissed her shoulder. “But you don’t have to.” He took the towel from her and rubbed her dry, blotting her sensitive butt as he made his way down her body. And then he took her hand and led her back into the bedroom.

Still controlling.

Still keeping that ball of desire knotted in her belly.

“Lean over the bed. Put your hands on the mattress.”

She turned around, unable to stop herself. It seemed so much more taboo in the light of day, and yet she enjoyed his commanding voice. Would he take over her life until she followed his every direction day and night?

She moaned as he nudged her legs apart and flinched when she heard the lid of the lotion pop.

“Relax. It’s lotion.” His hand landed high on her ass and smoothed over the skin. The cool ointment felt amazing. When he was finished, he pulled her to standing and kissed her soundly. “Better?”

“Yes.” She couldn’t keep this up. She needed to go downstairs and start working. If they stood here any longer, she would turn into a ball of arousal that would once again consume her.

He frowned. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

She hedged, but she needed to speak. “Are you going to boss me around constantly?”

“You mean during the day?”

“Yes.”

“Nope. Won’t even be here. I have to go to the gym.” He smiled too widely and then chuckled. “I’m teasing. But no. Of course not. Told you, I’m only bossy in the bedroom.”

“I beg to differ. You’re pretty bossy outside the bedroom too.” She emphasized the word
bedroom
in a sassy tone.

“Well, that’s a different kind of bossy. This is the sexual domination kind. When we go outside, it’s the protect-my-woman-from-danger kind.” He nodded at the door.

She licked her dry lips. His woman. Three days ago she would have slapped a man who used such a Me-Tarzan-You-Jane tone with her. Now? God almighty, she liked the sound of it. “You haven’t been to work in days. I thought you usually worked on a construction site?”

He nodded. “Finished a job last week. Haven’t started another one yet.” He nodded toward her dresser. “Get dressed. I’ll hop in the shower.” He turned and headed out of the room, stopping at the doorway to turn back. “And for god’s sake, woman, call your mother.”

She saluted him, making him roll his eyes and putting her world slightly back together. This was day. She would go to work. He would go to the gym. Normalcy.

Or not.

The phone rang again as she finished putting her scrubs on, and Leo stepped back into the room, his short spikey hair covered in drops of water. He turned around, snagged it from the bathroom counter, and slapped it into her hand. “Answer it.”

She hit
Accept
. “Mom.”

“Good grief, child. Where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling forever. And last night too.”

“I’m here now.” She didn’t bother to explain herself. It was none of her mother’s business.

“And Marshall? He’s with you?”

“What?” Katie’s voice rose, and her gaze darted to Leo, who lifted a brow. Her mother was so damn loud anyone in the room could easily hear her.

“Marshall? You know, your boyfriend? I assume he’s with you. That’s why you haven’t been answering my calls?”

“Mother, I’m not with Marshall. I’m not dating Marshall. I don’t ever see him except when he stops by to harass me. I don’t even like him.”

There was a brief silence. “You’re thirty years old, Kathryn. I’m well aware you would be sleeping with your boyfriend. You don’t have to pretend otherwise.”

Katie stood taller and nearly shouted into the phone, sarcasm dripping. “For your information,
Mother
, I
am
sleeping with my boyfriend. Not that it’s any of your business. But my
boyfriend
is not Marshall Pierce.”

Her mother gasped. Loretta Jean Schwan was finally shocked speechless. It was about time. When she spoke again, it was in a softer tone. “So you aren’t with Marshall?”

“For the love of God, Mom.” Katie threw her free hand in the air.

Leo sat on the bed, the strangest look on his face. He probably thought the woman was certifiable. Katie would tend to agree.

Her mother rushed to continue speaking. “If he’s not with you, where is he?”

“How the hell should I know? I’m not his keeper.” She rolled her eyes, but something in her mother’s tone made her stiffen finally.

“His parents haven’t been able to reach him. He’s not at his apartment. He’s not answering his phone.”

Leo stood, nearly jumping up.

Katie didn’t see the urgency. “Maybe he has a girlfriend too? Did anyone think of that?”

A pause. “Maybe… I need to call Carmela back.” She hung up.

“Who’s Carmela?” Leo asked.

“Marshall’s mother.”

“I see.”

She lifted her gaze to his. “You think this is weird? I mean, that they can’t reach him?”

“Do you?”

“Well, how is it different from not being able to reach me? I didn’t take any calls from a soul for the last day, either.”

“Yes. But I bet you do that often, especially where your mother is concerned. Does Marshall?”

“No.” She lowered her shoulders.

Leo closed the gap between them and pulled her into his arms. He kissed the top of her still-damp hair. “Let’s not rush to conclusions. Like you said, he’s probably with a woman.” He tipped her head back. A smirk lit up his face. “You just told your mother you had a boyfriend.”

She shrugged.

So did he, imitating her. “Just saying. I feel almost outed.” He tweaked her ear with his fingers.

“Yeah, don’t get excited. I hardly gave her a résumé.”

“Still, it’s a step.”

She met his gaze again. “You want me to tell my parents about you?”

“I couldn’t care less,” he lied.

“I will.” She pulled her eyes together. “I’m not ashamed of you, Leo, if that’s what you’re thinking. I don’t give two fucks what my parents think of who I date, or anyone else for that matter. However, for your sake, and to give us some temporary peace, it would behoove us to keep it under wraps. If you think my mother calls often to bitch at me now, wait until she finds out I’m dating an enormous hunk of male flesh who can slay dragons with the touch of a finger.”

He stared at her funny. “That’s how you describe me?”

“How else would I?” She shrugged out of his embrace and left him standing there mulling over her choice of words. If he thought for one moment she would hide him from her mother because of some misdirected sense of social status, he was in for a shock.