Forever in Love (8 page)

“C’mon sassy. He knew what he was doing.”

“No one knows what they’re doing when tempers flare.”

A soft chuckle reached her ears.

“Now you think this is funny?” She shook her head. “I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.” She stalked from the lobby and burst into the steamy night air.

“Stop. Think about this a moment.” Buck caught up to her, grabbed her arm and dragged her to a halt. “You’re not even listening.”

She stared up at him. “No, I’m not.” She shook him off and resumed walking away.

He grabbed her again, this time lifting her off her feet and holding her against his hard lean frame. Now they were eye to eye.

“Put me down.”

“Not until you listen to me.”

For several long moments neither spoke. She threw her hands up. “Fine.”

He lowered her to her feet then lifted her hand, tracing an index finger over the forming bruises on her wrist. “This would be why I’d go back to prison.” He dropped her hand and touched the skin below her left eye and another spot near her temple. “And this is why Dexter was arrested. Not because of what could happen to him, but because of what happened to you. Because you made his world normal when everything else wasn’t.”

Bonnie blinked back the tears burning her eyes. “I know that was the guy who attacked me. He was around the old neighborhood and I never liked him. He always gave me the creeps. Why come after me all this time and why threaten you?”

“That night I told you, you couldn’t work for me anymore?”

“Yeah?”

“That was the guy.”

“Him?”

Buck inclined his head.

“What did he want back then?” She shook her head. “Never mind. He wanted the pack. Now he wants money.”

“How much?”

She stared at him. “Just like that? You’ll give him what he asks for?”

“If it keeps him away from you? Yes.”

“He wants the card you gave me.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

He was silent a moment. “Give it to him.”

She shook her head. If this had been any other guy from their past she might be tempted to give in, but this was Cool-Ade, someone who waited ten years to seek whatever revenge. She doubted he’d go away after he got the card.

“No,” she said.

“The money means nothing if I don’t have you,” Buck stated, cupping her cheek. “Life means nothing without you in it.”

She held his hand to her face at a momentary loss of words at his admission. How many times had she wished for a declaration like the one she just received. Regardless she couldn’t let Buck give in to what amounted to extortion. “A guy like Cool-Ade isn’t going to go away just because you throw a few dollars at him. He’ll be back for something else. Are you going to pay him off then too?” She shook her head. “It feels too much like blackmail.”

“This is a chance to be rid of him.”

She held his gaze. “But for how long?”

He drew her close a heavy sigh fluttered her hair as he rested his chin on the top of her head. “You’re right.”

She leaned into him savoring his strength. With everything chaotic around her, being held by him and holding him made her world right again.

“I just want you safe.”

“You make me feel safe. You always have.”

“Bonnie?”

“What about Dexter?” She changed the subject. They still had to deal with her brother being locked up.

“I’ll take care of it.”

She studied him a moment. “Promise?”

“Have I ever let you down?”

“Not yet.”

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a key. “Wait for me at my place.”

“Are you sure?”

“You’re right. I should drop you off, then come back for your brother.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and propelled her forward.

“But what if they let him loose before you get back.”

“They won’t.”

***

Bonnie kicked off her heels as she stepped into the living room. She stooped to pick them up and a hand cupped her buttocks. Desire wiggled through her veins. She straightened shoes in hand and glanced over her shoulder with a smirk. “Yes?”

Buck kept his hand where it was. “Your body is pure temptation.”

Heat flooded her cheeks while warmth teased between her thighs. “Really?”

He nodded. “Tonight didn’t go the way I envisioned.”

She allowed him to usher her closer, molding her soft front to his hard lean frame. She circled his waist. “How did you mean for this night to go?”

 “I thought we’d have a drink, share a few laughs and then I would get to hold you in my arms.”

“Well one outta three ain’t bad.”

He chuckled. “No, I guess it isn’t.” He swept his lips across hers, then down her jaw. “You smell good enough to eat.”

She drifted her fingers through his hair as he fluttered kisses over her collarbone. Passion flared and ignited with each minute caress. She released her shoes to grip a handful of his shirt and jerk it from his pants.

“And you’re always so soft.”

She flattened her palms against the solid wall of his chest, the fine coarse hairs tickled her hands. Now more than ever she wanted to be skin to skin with this man. She slipped the buttons from their mooring, shoved aside the two halves of cotton and trailed her fingers over his skin.

“Bonnie.” A warning note clung to his voice.

“You started this,” she murmured.

He grasped the back of her neck, tangling his fingers in her hair. “Oh good. That means I get to finish it.” He brought his mouth down on hers in a hot demanding kiss.

She opened for him, savoring the firmness of his lips as the moved over hers. He grasped the hem of her dress and inched it up her thighs until he hooked his thumbs in the sides of her panties. The silk tightened against her skin a moment before she heard a snap and the material loosened. She angled away from him. “I’d have taken them off.”

“My way was faster.”

“Uh huh.”

“But you can take off that dress, before it suffers the same fate.”

A gasp stuck in her throat and she stumbled a step back. He retained her hand, drifting a scorching gaze down her body. It lingered on the swell of her breasts as they strained against the fabric of her dress. Even though he’d hiked the skirt up a moment ago, it now whispered around her thighs. However the look in his eyes, the intensity of his passion stole her breath. No one had ever stared at her with such hunger or passion.

Emboldened by his scrutiny, she reached behind her and fumbled for the zipper tab. For one second doubt crossed her mind. He’d never seen her fully naked and despite the lust glowing in his irises she was just a tab nervous. The garment loosened around her body, but she used one hand to hold the dress at her breasts.

“What’s the matter, sassy?” He moved closer and hooked an index finger in the bodice. “Are you having doubts?”

She snapped her head back to stare him in the eye. “What if you don’t like what you see? I’m not exactly skinny.”

He tugged on her dress, but she held firm. “Oh I know and like your curves.” He held her gaze. “Love them.”

She watched the play of emotions on his face and something she couldn’t quite decipher flickered in his irises, but it kindled an answering flare in her heart. She lowered her hand and the dress pooled at her feet. His sharp inhale settled her remaining doubts as she stood before him with nothing to hide.

“Beautiful.”

The reverence in his voice sent warmth scurrying through her.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her close. Her feet tangled in her dress and she stumbled against him while her nipples grazed the smoothness of his shirt and puckered painfully. She clutched at his biceps.

“This is how I envisioned this night.” He scooped her in his arms while he brought his mouth to hers.

Eagerly she accepted his kiss, matching his hunger with surprising ease. Maybe they had waited too long to consummate their relationship and though she was no virgin, there was still the underlying nervousness that he would find some fault in what she did or even her lack of experience.

As if sensing her unease, he lifted his head and offered a gentle smile. “Relax sassy. We’ll go slow and I promise I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.”

She combed her fingers through his tresses. “What happens if I don’t want you to stop?”

“God woman you are a tease.” He lowered her to the bed, following her down until he settled in the vee of her thighs.

She shifted, bringing his erection in full contact with her core. He flexed his hips and silvery tingles crashed through her. She pushed his shirt over his shoulders and down his arms. He tossed the garment aside and rolled her nipple between his thumb and index finger, while he laved the other.

A moan caught as she wallowed in sensation. He shifted his focus to her other breast and trailed his fingers down her body until they met the short damp curls of her pussy.

She pushed against his hand. Her first time had not been this pleasurable and over before she realized anything had really happened. If not for the soreness or the spent condom her partner flung across the room, she’d never have known she was no longer a virgin.

He moved down her body, trailing kisses in his wake. He feathered his lips from one hip to the other, the hairs on his chin aiding the erotic caress, when his tongue followed she tangled her fingers in his hair.

Buck grasped her thighs and forced them wider, exposing her flower to the air. She shivered as coolness raced over her flesh. He dragged a finger down her core and she clutched a handful of sheets.

“How does that feel?”

“Good.”

He separated her labia with his thumbs. The warm rasp of his tongue across her most intimate flesh left her waiting for more. She whimpered as he curled his tongue around her clit before sucking it between his teeth. When she tried to shimmy away from the intense pleasure he grasped her buttocks and pulled her back to his mouth.

Tension bunched her stomach in knots and she thrashed her head back and forth, her moans becoming louder with each tug on her pearl. He made encouraging noises in the back of his throat as he released one buttock to plunge a single finger in her silken heat.

Her world narrowed to the digit penetrating her and god if it didn’t feel like heaven. A second joined the first and she thrust against his hand and mouth. When he placed a third finger in her depths, her world shattered and she was sliding into an orgasm that splashed stars and fireworks behind her lids. He gentled his assault allowing her to ride the wave of bliss buffeting her body, he crooked his fingers inside and another climax crashed over her. She cried out his name.

Buck eased from between her legs and withdrew his fingers. Bonnie watched him through a half-lidded gaze as he licked her essence from his hand. He planted a palm on either side of her head and dropped his mouth to hers, sharing her unique flavor with her.

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him on top of her and tangled her legs with his. They broke apart when a tickle vibrated her hip.

“I forgot.” He rolled off her, digging his phone from his pants pocket, he pressed the screen and held it to his ear. “Yes?”

Bonnie sat up and he wrapped an arm her shoulders, pulling her to him. She kissed his forearm, her body still humming from her climax and she placed a hand over the bulge straining at his crotch.

“They’re releasing your brother.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

He shoved his phone back in his pocket. “We’ll have to continue this when I get back.”

She fluttered her lashes at him. “Promise.”

He kissed her long and hard. “Most definitely.”

***

Buck scrubbed the heel of his hand across his face. If he hadn’t promised to look after her brother Buck would still be in bed with Bonnie. God that woman knew how to burn hot and she’d been so tight all he wanted to do was slide balls deep in her silken heat. He shifted his erection, but he’d have to be content with making it up to her when he returned. For now he was satisfied that Bonnie was safe. Before he could slide into his vehicle, his phone vibrated his hip.

“Yes?”

“I leave to show my lady a good time and when I come back you’re looking for me and there’s panic in the neighborhood.”

“How is your lady?”

“Happy and outta my hair for a few days. What’s up and why you on the block?”

“Cool-Ade.”

“You better hope you find him before I do. That fool been duckin me. Owe me twenty large.”

Buck let out a low whistle, the pieces clicking into place. That would explain why, but what Cool-Ade think Buck still kept that type of money?

“What’s your beef with him?”

“He jumped my lady.”

“Damn. Is she okay?”

“She is now.”

“Tell you what bro. If I find out where he’s holed up, I’ll give you a call. Let you settle your score and then I’ll clean house.”

“Sounds good.”

“Oh and Buck?”

“Yes?”

“Can’t wait to see you.”

Buck laughed and ended the call. One issue down. Now he just had to wait until Dexter was released. Twelve minutes later he parked his car in a vacant spot in front of the police station and stepped out the Benz as a tall, slightly disheveled man emerged from the entrance.

“Do we have that out our system now?”

“Maybe.”

“Your sister is livid and there’s no placating her at the moment.”

Dexter arched a brow. “I was willing to walk away. He threw the first punch.”

Buck looked the younger man over. Other than a few tears in his shirt there wasn’t a scratch on him. Guilt sucker punched him in the gut. On some level he was responsible for what happened to Dexter. If they hadn’t gone to the old neighborhood, maybe Cool-Ade would’ve stayed away. “You’ve got blood on your shirt.”

He glanced down, frowning. “Not mine.”

“Well, your sister will be staying with me until Cool-Ade is caught.”

“That’s fine.”

“Watch your back, Dexter.”

“Yeah. I will.”

***

Buck dragged fingers through his hair as he trudged through the corridor toward his apartment. Only the thought of Bonnie waiting for him gave him the extra spring in his step.