Touch of Amber: Hot Rods, Book 7 (12 page)

Chapter Fourteen

Amber jingled her keys in her palm, noticing how spidery cracks had spread across most of the sidewalk in the past few years as she looked at the house she leased with fresh eyes, wondering what Gavyn would think.

He held the dented screen door as she let them inside then flipped on the overhead light, casting warm, yellowish light on the aged if well-maintained house. Original hardwood stairs stood immediately in front of them with the kitchen off to the right and a tidy living room on the left.

“It’s a cute place.”

“That’s guy code for tiny and so outdated it’s practically vintage or retro or something, right?” She laughed, not offended because it was true.

“Hey, anything honestly gained…”

“It’s funny, you know. I always dreamed about having a place of my own. Within a few months I went from living with my mom and my sister to Nola moving out and my mom spending most of her time at Tom’s.” She shrugged with a hint of smile twisting her lips. “It’s kind of creepy…and lonely…coming home to a dark, quiet house so often. I’d get a dog, but the landlord refuses to consider it.”

Gavyn pulled her into a hug. Resting his chin on the crown of her head, he said, “Well, you’re not alone tonight.”

“I noticed,” she purred as she rubbed herself against him.

“I think that’s why I ended up staying at my sister’s resort for so long. It felt better being surrounded by people,” he admitted.

“You mean you liked checking out all the naked guests, didn’t you?” she teased.

“Not
all
of them… The women, sure. I’m not going to lie. The ladies interested in a vacation fling weren’t a bad bonus.”

“And those who were looking for a wedding fling?” She tried not to be jealous. No such luck.

“Only one of those. She was my favorite.” He chuckled even before she poked him in the stomach. Of course, the slab of his abs meant her jab was pretty ineffectual. She’d swear he was even more defined and built than the last time he’d held her this close. Probably true if he used working out as one of his distraction techniques like Roman did.

“So…” Gavyn flipped the lock on the door then faced her. “Your mom isn’t coming home tonight, is she?”

“Nope. She packed about a dozen suitcases and hauled her stuff over to Tom’s place. Enough to stay for a couple weeks at least so she can be on hand to help Nola with Ambrose. I’m glad I peeked in on them this afternoon before going to find Quinn or I might get my godmother privileges revoked. They turned Mustang Sally’s old room into a nursery, though of course the baby is in Kaige and Nola’s room for now.” She shrugged. “It’s a big change…”

“Sometimes those are the best.” He stalked closer to her, making her aware of how powerful he truly was despite his tendency to make people feel comfortable around him. That must have been a handy trait in his lawyer days. “Can I be honest, Amber?”

“Of course.” She nibbled her lower lip, wondering if he’d changed his mind since he hadn’t jumped her yet and his jeans were missing the telltale tent she associated with their fun times.

“I stopped listening when you said your mom wasn’t going to bust in on us fucking.” He lunged for her, wrapping his hands around her waist and lifting her to him. “The blood started rushing to my cock and now I can’t really think about anything except getting inside you again.”

Laughing, she looped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist to help steady herself as he palmed her ass. “I’m a grown woman. I can do as I like without my mom’s approval, you know?”

“Yeah, but she’s scary as hell and my balls wanted to make sure the coast was clear before they came out to play.” He seemed dead serious as he muttered between nuzzles and kisses on her neck. “She and I have an understanding. One I haven’t lived up to, remember?”

Then he slowed down, probably thinking too damn much about things other than the steam beginning to rise from where they touched.

Though she wished this was only about sex, she cared. If something was bothering him, she wanted to know. “What’s wrong?”

“Sorry.” He kissed her light and quick. “I think tomorrow I need to go see her and Tom. To apologize in person. Does she hate me for what I did to you?”

“No.” Amber shook her head. “But I’m fairly sure she hates what you did to yourself.”

“Are you lying to me, love?”

“No, Gavyn.”

“Then what’s that look for?”

Maybe it was time to come clean. “My mom and Tom have been encouraging me to respond to your email since about five minutes after it popped into my inbox.”

“Now
that
I doubt.” He groaned, shaking his head.

“It’s true.” She leaned in and kissed him sweetly, loving how he turned ferocious, holding her tighter and responding to the demands of his body. “Can we talk about Mom later, Gav?”

“Good idea.” He held her still and ground against her core, letting her feel every inch of his steely length, now fully ready to give her another night to remember. “Just one last thing I need to know before I’m all about you.”

“Yeah?” She wished he’d hurry.

“What are her favorite flowers?”

“Anything pink.” A man who bought her mom flowers? Irresistible.

Amber pushed her fingers into his hair, loving the way the thick strands caressed the sensitive spots between them. She dropped loud, smacking kisses on his chin, cheeks and forehead, hoping he knew how much she appreciated the gesture. Her mom hadn’t had a lot of happiness in her life other than her daughters and her recent friendship with Tom. While that might put some guys off, it seemed to make Gavyn respect her as she deserved.

Smart man.

“Gavyn?”

“Yes, love?” he responded.

“My room is the one at the top of the stairs. There’s a full box of condoms in my nightstand.”

“I’m on it.” He whirled her around and took off, climbing the steep, narrow stairs as easily as if they were a gentle incline and his arms weren’t full of willing, squirming woman.

After entering her room, he shut the door and locked it too, pressing her shoulders to the thin faux-wood. “Insurance.”

Laughter fell from her in between sighs and soft moans when he used his body to pin her in place and slid his hands beneath her blouse to caress her sides.

“If you were wearing another one of those sexy skirts, I’d have it shoved up and be fucking you against the wall in the next two minutes.” He growled against her neck.

“Not without a condom.” She shook her head. “Nola already got a lecture for being unsafe, even if it was just once. Despite the fact that I’m starting to understand how she forgot, I don’t need to hear that sermon too.”

“I’ll always protect you,” he promised. They both knew he wasn’t only talking about contraception. “I haven’t given you any reason to believe that, but it’s true.”

“More fucking, less talking.” Amber shook her head to clear out the emotions that were sneaking in past her arousal. That was not what this was supposed to be about.

“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned then spun, taking her to the bed before following her down. This time he didn’t hesitate to reach behind his back with one hand, grab, then whip his shirt over his head. The plane of his chest attracted her fingers like a magnet. She kneaded the muscles of his pecs and shoulders, her hands tracing the definition between them.

As she followed the indentation down the center of his torso, she caught sight of something on his side. “What’s that?”

“Uh…” He didn’t look directly at her when he angled toward her so she could see the rainbow that reached from his hip to his ribs. On it, she saw a date. The date of the weddings. And her own initials. “Don’t freak out, okay? Please? Pretend like it doesn’t mean anything.”

For a moment she went cold. Was it right to sleep with Gavyn when she wasn’t sure if she wanted something lasting
and
he had feelings for her?

“What if I can’t follow through? I don’t want to set you back or…”

“Hey, that’s for me to worry about.” He stroked the hair from her face so he could peer directly into her eyes. “I’m glad to be spending time with you, sharing this with you, even if that’s all I get out of it. It’s way more than I ever thought I’d have again. Far more than I deserve.”

With the tip of one finger, she traced the rainbow. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice this earlier today.”

“I think we were both shocked.” He grimaced. “I know for myself, the moment I was in the same room as you again, I couldn’t pay attention to anything except trying to make things right. I hope it doesn’t bother you that I did it.”

Gavyn went quiet, still.

“No, it’s…great. I spent a lot of time wondering if maybe that night didn’t mean as much to you as it had to me.” She hated to admit that.

“You have no idea.” He sighed. “That’s completely my fault. I won’t ever let that happen again. So take a good look then let me get back to stripping you.”

Amber leaned forward and kissed the tattoo.

“For the record, the Powertools crew thinks it’s hysterical. Neil keeps asking when I’m going to hook up with Roman and the rest of the Hot Rods.” He shook his head. “I told them Barracuda’s pretty hot and all, but he’s nowhere near as smoking as you.”

Amber lost it. She grabbed her middle and fell back onto her bed, rolling from side to side as relief, amazement and sheer joy combined to bowl her over. Could this really be happening?

So different from how she’d imagined she’d spend tonight.

So much better.

If that was true, then what was she running from? Why keep pushing him back?

Mind hazed with lust and affection, she couldn’t say at that moment. But she was sure she’d come to her senses after a solid orgasm or twenty.

On that note…

Amber’s giggles faded when Gavyn kept divesting himself of his clothes, his pants and underwear following his shirt to the floor with a single swipe of his hands. She swallowed hard when his thighs came into view, remembering how he’d thrust into her for hours without ever growing tired. Stamina, he had it.

His high, tight ass and the solid cock he fisted and pumped a few times, slowly, while watching her weren’t too bad to look at either.

“Plan on watching me all night, or are you going to join me?” he teased her as he put on a show, licking his palm before stroking himself more vigorously, then cupping his balls and massaging them while he rubbed his other hand over his chest and abs.

“This isn’t so bad.” Truth was, she couldn’t pry her eyes from him long enough to duck out of her clothes. Didn’t want to miss an instant of his teasing.

“It isn’t for me either.” He smiled down at her as if he really meant it, and his stiff cock proved it was no hardship for him to stare at her, even fully clothed. “Except I know how much better the view is about to get.”

Pleased, she kicked off her shoes then made quick work of her slacks and underwear. She squirmed on the bed, lifting her ass to rid herself of the unnecessary clothing, leaving herself wearing only a flimsy blouse and a thin lace bra. Somehow, she didn’t feel very exposed in front of him.

It might have had something to do with the way he looked at her as if she was a supermodel instead of an ordinary event planner.

“Get rid of the top.”

Amber loved it when he took charge, though she didn’t think she’d clue him in to that yet if he hadn’t already noticed how wet he made her. With a sweet smile, she did as he instructed, though she inched the fabric slowly up her stomach then her chest before slipping it over her head and tossing it to the floor.

“And the bra.”

She reached behind herself and unclasped it without letting it fall away completely, keeping her breasts from his view until he growled ominously. A shimmy helped the fabric glide down her arms and away from her body, leaving her bare for his perusal.

“Fuck.” He swiped his hand faster along his cock. “You’re more gorgeous than I remembered.”

“It was dark that night.” She shrugged.

His eyes tracked the rise and fall of her breasts in response.

“I saw you. Clearly. Like I do now.” He leaned in and pushed her against the pillows, bearing down along every inch of her.

His fingers snuck between her legs and began to rub her in maddening circles that had her breath coming in broken puffs. He smiled, then kissed her, their mouths matching the repetitive passes of his hand, mimicking the glide and force of his fingers as he prepared her to accept him.

Glad that he didn’t plan to make her wait, she flexed her ass, pressing her pussy into his grip more fully.

“Condoms?” he breathed while nudging her belly with the slick head of his cock.

“Top drawer of that nightstand.” She pointed, unable to be more coherent.

When he slid open the antique, he hummed. “What do we have here?”

Amber put one hand over her eyes. “I assume you mean my vibrator?”

“This looks a lot fancier than your run-of-the-mill bullet.” He plucked her designer rabbit from the drawer. “I think I want to play with it.”

“Make sure you grab the lube first. It gets kind of big in the middle. Not sure how your ass is going to take it.” She snorted.

“Just for that, I think I’ll use this lube after all.” He wiggled the bottle at her as he lifted his brows. “On
your
ass, while I use Super-cock to fuck your pussy. That way everyone’s happy, right?”

She gasped. “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, Amber.” He laughed. “Fuck yeah I would. Will. You’ll like it. I promise.”

When she didn’t respond right away, he brought his new finds with him and crept closer.

“Does that turn you on?” Gavyn monitored her every reaction for the answer.

“I guess…” What the hell? Why not be honest? Not like it was a secret. “I’ve kind of wondered, you know, since Nola started hooking up with more than one guy at a time. Seems like it could be kind of hot if you were into that sort of thing.”

“You’re not, right?” He seemed genuinely concerned. “I don’t know if I could share you, Amber. I’d be more likely to chop a guy’s hands off if he tried to touch you. Hell, if he so much as
looked
at you naked. I’m kind of possessive about the things I love.”