The only thing that mattered was meeting her challenge—he needed to hear her beg. He grabbed a condom from the drawer and rolled it on, watching her watch him. “Take off your bra.”
A finely arched brow rose. “Say please.”
“No. Take it off.” He’d noticed earlier she seemed to like being dominated, and the way her brown eyes dilated and turned almost black confirmed his hunch.
She unsnapped the front clasp, then held it closed with her hand. “And if I don’t?”
How far could he take this game? He guessed she was daring herself as much as him. Without doubt, her history—growing up with the kind of mother she had—affected her natural tendencies. Even with all she’d seen and heard, he didn’t think she understood how deeply sensual and passionate she was. All she really knew was the message her brain kept sending her: she didn’t want to be like her mother.
Deciding it best to slowly teach her there was a world of difference between a whore who put out for any man with a buck in his pocket and a woman freely expressing her needs, he restrained his urge to up the level of play and punishment.
He wrapped his hand around his cock. “If you don’t, then I’ll just take care of myself.” Heat flared in her eyes when he slid his hand to the bottom of his shaft and back up again. “I’ll admit it’s not as pleasurable as being inside you, but it’s close enough.”
It was a near thing, but he managed to hold back his laugh when she yanked off the bra, then spread out her arms and her legs, reminding him of a snow angel.
“That’s my girl,” he said, moving to kneel between her thighs. He stroked his fingers along the skin of her inner legs. She sighed and her eyes slid closed. Dew glistened on her curls from their earlier play, and he almost came just from taking in the beauty of seeing her opened to him.
“Maria.”
“Mmm?”
“Open your eyes and watch.”
She lifted onto her elbows and lowered her chin, focusing her gaze on his cock. The damn thing jerked up, preening for her. Jesus, this wasn’t going to last long. His balls were so hard and tight, the skin encasing them felt like it had been stretched around a basketball.
This might kill him, but now that she’d put it in his mind, he had to hear her beg. When she did, then he’d know she needed him as much as he needed her. Taking himself in hand, he rubbed the tip up through her folds to her clit. Pausing there, he circled the little nub until it puckered and her hips lifted off the bed. Sliding back down, he held still at the entrance of her sheath.
“Jake, please.”
Not good enough. He slid into her an inch and stopped. When she rocked forward in an attempt to take him in, he leaned away and teased her again. This was meant to torture her, but he was the one who’d soon be begging.
Without warning, she reared up and clamped her teeth down on his shoulder. “Damn you. Now, Jake,” she all but growled against his skin before spearing herself down on him. “Please, now.”
That was good enough. It was what he’d needed from her. Jake pulled her legs behind him, and she immediately caught on, clasping her ankles against his ass. He cupped her bottom in his palms to support her, then lost himself in the feel of being inside her. She was tight, hot, and wet. Her movements were awkward at first, but when she caught his rhythm, he had a brief thought that it had never been like this with any other woman. Then thinking ceased. If the earth was blown to bits at this moment, he was too far gone to care.
Pressure built as he thrust into her, so intense he couldn’t hold it back. “Come, Maria,” he demanded. The muscles in her sheath clinched around him as he sought out her lips and kissed her with the hunger of a starving man as he exploded inside her.
“Je . . . sus.” He twisted and fell back onto the bed with her sprawled across him. “Jesus, Maria,” he said between gulps of breath.
Minutes later, when he breathed normally again, he lifted his head and looked down at her. She’d fallen asleep, and he lowered back down and stared at the ceiling.
Although his ego liked that he’d apparently knocked her out cold, couldn’t she have at least first said it was good, maybe even amazing?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
I think I aced it,” Maria said to her friend as they walked toward the exit. “How about you?”
Gina shrugged. “I think I did good, but you know how I freeze up on exams. I really hate essays. I sure miss your bodyguard though. He was some kind of eye candy.”