TooHot (4 page)

The band started tuning up and the first chords of the rock
song pounded through the speakers, making it virtually impossible to continue
conversation.

Leaning over to Josie, Marco said, “So you promised me a
dance.”

Josie pointed to the speakers. “To this?”

He shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

Marco stood and reached out his hand and taking hers, pulled
her up and onto the dance floor.

Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close.

“This is a fast song, Marco.” Josie giggled.

“I don’t care. I can move quickly like this, can’t you?” he
teased, enjoying the way her eyes sparkled with amusement.

“I can if you can.”

“Sorry about James.”

She laughed. “Don’t worry about it. James is James. I’ve
known him for years, and I don’t think he’s ever been any different.” She
rested her arms around his shoulders. “Besides, you’d have to be blind not to
notice a rack like that.”

Holy shit, she did not just say that. Marco burst out
laughing.

“What? It’s true.”

Rather than answer, he just coughed and pretended to clear
his throat.

The song segued into a slow, sexy rhythm and Marco grinned.
Now this was more like it. He pulled Josie tighter against his body and she
leaned her head on his shoulder. Damn, she felt good in his arms. Her breasts
pressed against his chest. He ran his hands up her back then rested them on her
hips. It was all he could do not to slide his palms down and cup her ass as she
moved sensually to the music. His cock throbbed in anticipation, encouraging
him to speed things up. He tamped down his arousal. The last thing he wanted to
do was scare her off. She was attracted to him for sure, but beneath the
attraction in her eyes was a vulnerability that made him want to tread slowly.
If he came on as hard as he wanted to she’d turn tail and run.

When the song ended he let go of her but didn’t let her off
the dance floor. Tonight’s band was raw and gritty, sexy. There was no way
Josie would be able to dance to the music and not feel something. Hell, he was
banking on it. He pushed his hair off his forehead and winked at Josie. The
girl could move. He was mesmerized by the sway of her hips and the way her
breasts bounced when the beat picked up. He groaned. The end of the night
couldn’t come soon enough. He gripped her hips and swayed to the music. Just
because he had to go slow didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy himself.

An hour later, he groaned. This was torture.
God, the woman
could dance all night.
If he didn’t get his hands on her properly, and
soon, he was going to drill a hole through his jeans. His dick had been hard as
a rock since the moment he’d gotten his hands on her. The slow, sensual grind
they’d been doing for the past hour had him completely on edge.

Shit, he just needed a taste of her to take the edge off.
He’d been trying to rein it in all night because she seemed so wary and unsure.
Like a scared lamb and he was the big, bad wolf and every possessive,
domineering fiber of his being wanted to protect her and wipe that look from
her eyes. And damn if he could understand why. She wasn’t the least bit like
the women he normally went for. She was curvier, shyer, vulnerable. The women
he normally took home were outgoing and boisterous, with confidence to burn.
Women who knew the score—fun, fucking and no strings whatsoever. But Josie,
man, everything about her screamed relationship. There wasn’t a casual bone in
her body and for the first time in a long time that was fine by him.

Holding her hips tightly, he allowed her to feel his
erection. Her full, pouty lips parted and her green eyes widened as sensual
awareness burst between them.

He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “You want to
get some air?”

She nodded. Taking her hand, he led her through the club to
the back hallway and out a side door that led to the alley.

He backed her against the wall, his breath hot against her
neck. “You have been driving me nuts all night.” He trailed his finger down the
length of her arm and she shivered beneath his touch. His hot, wet tongue
licked a path up her neck and he took her earlobe between his teeth.

“I want to take you home and lick every inch of your body,”
he whispered, then ran his tongue along the sensitive spot behind her ear. She
dropped her head back against the wall, her eyes drifted shut.

“Would you like that, Josie?” His hand slowly dragged across
her swollen nipple. The fleeting touch tormented her. God, she wanted more. She
wanted to feel his mouth there.

“Mmm,” she moaned.

He bent his knees, tilted his head lower and ran his tongue
along the vee of her shirt. Pushing the fabric with his nose, he licked closer
and closer to her nipple, never quite touching her where she needed. She arched
her back, desperately trying to guide his touch.

Marco continued to tease her, never dipping low enough to
satisfy her craving. “So, you going to let me come home with you?” he murmured.

Was he serious? She’d fuck him right here if he wanted.

He leaned back and looked at her, his nostrils flared as a
look of pure carnal knowledge spread across his face. She gripped the edge of
the doorframe with her right hand and held on as her knees threatened to give
out from sheer lust. Heat tore through her body and she could feel moisture
pooling in her panties. She was so hot, if he so much as blew anywhere near her
clit she’d go off like a rocket.

“Let’s go,” he said. Grabbing her hand, he led her back into
the main area of the bar. With a quick nod to his friends, he grabbed the
jackets from the back of their chairs and handed Josie hers. She didn’t even
have time to slip it on before his hand was pressing at her back, urging her to
move through the club.

She stepped onto the running board of his truck and eased
herself into the passenger seat. The leather pressing against her sensitized
flesh made her grit her teeth to stop from squirming.

Marco hopped into the driver’s seat and fired the hemi
engine up, the growl of power rumbled through the truck and she clamped her
thighs together. Josie licked her lips and glanced over at Marco. His jaw
clenched tightly as he stared straight ahead. He didn’t even flick a glance her
way.

She swallowed audibly. Nerves began to take hold, dissolving
the sensual fog she’d been floating in only moments before. What was she doing?
This guy was like a walking poster for health and fitness and she was lucky to
hit the gym once every couple of weeks. She wrapped her arms around her waist
and winced when she could feel the extra weight she hadn’t lost yet. God, how
was she going to get naked with him? If he’d just taken her in the club she
wouldn’t even have had time to think, but as the truck ate up the miles to her
apartment she couldn’t shut her mind up.

She exhaled deeply and Marco glanced over at her. His eyes
narrowed. “Stop thinking,” he told her.

She snorted. Yeah easier said than done.

He pulled up outside her apartment, turned off the vehicle
and hopped out. Trying to steady her nerves, Josie didn’t move until Marco
opened the passenger door and took her hand. She slid out of the truck and
stood in front of him.

“Looks like that drive gave you too long to think.” He bent
down and pressed his lips against hers softly. “Guess I’ve got my work cut out
for me to get you back to that mindless place where anything goes.” His husky
voice glided through her like smooth whiskey, heating everything it touched.

He’d have to be a sexual guru to make her lose her
inhibitions. She looked into his rich, chocolate-brown eyes and sighed. If
anyone could do it, Marco could.

He smiled. “Let’s get you inside.”

Heat from his palm seared through the fabric of her shirt
where he’d slid his hand beneath her coat as he guided her into the building.
Inside the elevator, he caged her in, resting his hands on either side of the
brass railing.

“So, anything off limits?”

How did he expect her to talk when he was looking at her as
if she were an all-you-can-eat buffet and he wanted to taste everything
offered.

He leaned in close and sucked her earlobe into his mouth.
“Speak up, Red. If there’s anything you aren’t in to, it’s better to let me
know now.”

Goose bumps pooled on her skin. She’d never been with a guy
who wanted to talk about what she liked and didn’t like. God, he could just
talk to her in that gravelly voice and she’d come. Unable to even think of
anything, she shook her head.

“Really?” He licked his full bottom lip and a slow, sexual
smile spread across his face. “This is going to be fun.”

Oh shit, what had she just committed to?

He chuckled. “Don’t worry, Red. I’m not going to do anything
you won’t like.” She didn’t even realize she was frowning until he ran his
finger between her brows. “Stop worrying, we’re going to burn up the sheets.”

Getting enough oxygen into her lungs seemed to elude her as
she stared back at him. She gulped in a deep breath, forcing in air. Her heart
thundered in her chest as nerves and arousal battled for supremacy.

The elevator door pinged and opened. Marco’s hand pressed at
the small of her back as he followed her down the hallway.

She unlocked her apartment, stepped inside and shed her
shoes. Nerves had her looking for something to do with her hands as she watched
Marco kicking off his Timberlands. Clad in his sock feet, he grinned at her and
shook his head.

“Ahh, Red, you’re looking at me like I’m the big bad wolf.”
He threaded his hand through her hair and cupped the back of her head. He
leaned in close, his lips a breath away from hers, and growled. “Maybe that’s
apt, because Jesus, I want to fucking devour you.” His mouth came down on hers,
hungry, consuming her with his passion. Her knees weakened and she sank against
him as her arms wrapped around his neck to hold on. He sucked her bottom lip
into his mouth and nipped at it.

He broke the kiss. “Bedroom?” he gritted out and claimed her
mouth again before she had time to answer.

He grabbed her hips and hoisted her up, encouraging her to
wrap her legs around his waist as he continued to kiss her. She squirmed to get
down and broke the kiss. “I can walk,” she told him.

He kneaded the flesh of her ass and smiled. “I know, but I
like the way you feel in my hands.”

Somehow seeing how much he enjoyed her ass made her less
self-conscious about its size. She grinned back at him. “Bedroom’s at the end
of the hall.”

He began walking down the hall, his head buried in her neck
as he licked and sucked at the sensitive flesh. Wrapping her fingers farther
into his hair, she held on and enjoyed the sensations running through her body.

Moments later she felt herself being lowered onto her bed,
then strong hands reached for the waistband of her leggings. Oh crap, the
moment of truth. Opportunities like this didn’t come along all that often so
she could suck it up. She gulped and took a deep breath.

Marco eased her pants down her legs and tossed them on the
floor, leaving her boy-cut panties in place. He stood back, staring at her. Not
saying a word, he just continued to look. She bit her lip. What if he didn’t
like what he saw? Nerves raced through her.

“Lose the sweater,” he demanded.

She eyed him warily.

He smiled. “You want me to do it for you, honey?”

She shook her head and gripped the bottom of her sweater.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled it over her head and set it on the edge of the
bed. Feeling self-conscious, she wrapped her arms around her waist.

“Drop your hands so I can see you,” he ordered.

Oh god. This would be so much easier if he’d stop watching
and join her on the bed. She raised her head and looked at him.

Marco widened his stance, his nostrils flared, and he rubbed
his hands against the crotch of his jeans. Wow, that was a pretty impressive
bulge. Guess he liked what he saw. Feeling more confident, she lowered her
hands.

Marco ripped his shirt over his head. His muscled flexed.
God, the man was perfectly made.

“Now the bra, Red.”

She eyed him warily. What was wrong with him? Didn’t guys
usually like to do this for the girl?

He stood still, watching her, not taking a step closer. “The
bra?”

At his demanding tone moisture pooled in her core, soaking
her panties. How was it possible for her to be so turned-on and so nervous at
the same time?

She reached behind her and unhooked the bra, but she held it
in front of herself, not able to let it drop.

“Take it off,” he demanded. The controlling command made her
nipples bead tighter, and she could feel them pressing against her palms
through the lace. She let the bra drop to her lap. When Marco didn’t make a
move toward her, her arms involuntarily raised to cover her naked breasts.

“Josie, drop your hands so I can see you, or I’ll tie them
to the bed so you can’t keep doing that.”

A picture of herself spread out on the bed, her arms tied to
the headboard, flashed through her mind, and she moaned as a wave of lust shot
through her.

Marco grinned and lust filled his eyes as he watched her. “I
see you like that idea. All right, Red. You want me to take control to make
this a little easier on you?” he asked. “I’m more than game.”

He strolled over to the hanger on the back of the door and
pulled a multicolored silk scarf off the hook. He ran the material between his
hands as he stalked toward the bed like a predator and she was his prey. And
damn if that didn’t send a little shiver through her.

So much for being the little prude her ex thought she was.
Maybe she just needed the right man.

Marco ran his hand lightly up the length of her right arm
and raised it above her head and tied it to the headboard. “I want to be able
to see every inch of your body, be able to touch any place I want.”