Dual Desires (Dueling Devils 1)

Her mouth formed on O. “What if I want you to?”

“What?”

“Shit, did I say that out loud?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You regret it.”

“No?” Her voice wavered.

“There you go again, beckoning me with those hazel gems you call eyes. You have no clue what you do to a man like me.”

“W—what kind of man is that?” she whispered.

“A man with a lot of darkness inside. Don’t you know the dark craves the light, seeks it? And here you are practically a beacon.” He brought a hand up and curled a strand of her hair around his finger. “So ripe for the picking. He leaned in toward her, stopping just short of her quivering lips. “Like a succulent cherry, with those big red lips waiting to be kissed.” Her chest heaved. He darted his tongue out and traced her lips. “Is this what you want, Ardy?”

Her hands came out to press against his chest. The hard muscles clenched and she whimpered, allowing her eyes to drift shut as she inhaled his masculine scent. For once in her life, she decided to be selfish and threw caution to the wind. “Yes.”

He buried a hand in her hair and pulled her flush to his body, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. Her legs weakened, and she leaned into him, marveling at the solid planes of his body against her. The unmistakable bulge straining against her belly filled her with a sense of pride. She’d done that to this powerful man. Growing up living hand to mouth, and part of the only interracial family in the immediate area, she’d always felt a little less than.

His tongue slid between her lips, and her brain flatlined. The only things that existed were the powerful emotions he evoked and how right he felt. She opened her mouth and explored him with a passion that matched his. Emboldened by the approving rumbling in his chest, she wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her mouth, devouring him, a thirsty woman coming from a long drought. He tasted like sin—potent, intoxicating, and slightly addictive.

His hands slid down and gripped her ass. She gasped, and he pulled back, breathing hard.

“Fuck.”

Please do. She watched him from beneath heavily lidded eyes.

“I can’t offer you anything, Ardy.”

“I

didn’t ask you to.” She shook her head.

“Not out loud, but...you’re not the—”

“Please don’t tell me what type of woman I am. I’m not even sure. This is my chance to explore Figure things out without the whole town watching or everything hanging in the balance.” She glanced away, embarrassed by the state of her life. Horrified by the runaway conversation, she tried to stave the flow of words, but a dam had broken inside her. “I’m not looking for you to put a ring on my finger or make me your old lady. I just want to feel alive.”

He trailed his fingers down the side of her face. Shivers crept up her spine. “You want to experience life? I can show you what it’s like on the edge.” He gripped her hips, lifted her off the ground, and nipped at her neck. “But you have to be sure. Because once I start, I won’t stop until I’m satisfied and you’ve sampled everything I have to offer. It could take awhile.”

She snaked her legs around his waist and moaned. “Positive.”

He strode down the hall to the room at the end and nudged the door open with the tip of his boot. The sound of the surf filled her head as the blood began to rush. Can he feel my heartbeat racing? Light flooded the room. He tossed her onto the bed, and she squealed, bouncing a few times before she settled in the middle and took in her surroundings. The king-sized bed had black linens, a sharp contrast to the beige walls adorned with pictures.

“You look good in my bed.” His husky voice brought her attention back to him. She dug her fingers into the soft cotton sheets. “Nervous?”

“It’s been awhile.” And never with a man like you.’

“Don’t worry, it’s just like riding a bike.” He stalked toward the bed, making her feel like his prey. The bed dipped under his weight, and she trembled. “Spread your legs, pretty girl. Let me in.”

She nibbled the inside of her cheek as she spread her legs. Where’s all my courage now? The sight of his head disappearing between her legs stole her breath. He nipped his way up her inner thigh, pausing at the line where flesh met her denim shorts. “These have to go.” His fingers were nimble as they unbuttoned the top of her pants and slid inside, burrowing beneath her underwear. His finger brushed her slick lips, and she gasped, arching her back. “You like that, baby?”

“Y—yes.”

He rolled her clit between his fingers, and she moved against him, seeking relief. The worries and insecurities took a back seat to the need racing through her body. A callused finger slipped inside her needy cunt, and she moaned.

“That’s it, let go for me. I want to see you come apart.”

She glanced up and drowned in the depths of his eyes. No one had ever looked at her the way this man did. Like she was a steak and he was starving. “Close,” she whimpered.