Defying Desire. A.C. Arthur
the dim light she looked frail and tired. He moved toward the couch intending to simply see that she was okay and say good-night. But once he was that close to her he couldn’t resist. He sat down next to her taking her hand in his. “Are you sure you’re all right, Tia?”
She nodded then looked away from him quickly. That was a definite sign that she was not okay. It was also a sign for Trent to get the hell out of there. He didn’t do pity parties and he definitely didn’t do emotional females. If she had something going on that was outside of being intoxicated or that didn’t require him to hunt down and possibly shoot someone, he couldn’t help.
“Is there someone you’d like me to call?” he asked already moving away from her.
“No,” she whispered. “There’s no one who can fix this.”
Yeah, that was his cue if he’d ever had one. “Okay. Well, I’ll leave you alone.”
He was about to stand up when she grabbed his wrist and said, “No. Please stay.”
In his lifetime Trent had heard more than his share of women saying those exact words. But none of them caused his chest to tighten the way Tia’s did. There was something in her eyes, an almost desperation that didn’t match her usual snippy attitude.
He sat back in the chair. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, knowing he didn’t want to hear about whatever it was that had her looking so shaky—especially if it was about another man.
Trent didn’t normally consider himself the jealous type. There were more than enough women in this world for all the men to have their share. So he definitely wasn’t one to hate another man for having a fine woman on his arm. But he’d be lying if he said the idea of Tia with some another guy didn’t rub him the wrong way.
“No. I don’t want to talk,” she said letting her hand rest on his thigh.
It was wrong, Tia knew. But in less than fifteen minutes it would be midnight. The exact time two years ago that Jake had been bleeding beside her, Jessica dying inside of her.
However, this year she wasn’t alone. Trent had brought her home. He’d walked her inside and he was still here. She didn’t have to be alone if she didn’t choose to be. She could be with Trent and this pain wouldn’t seem so bad. He wanted her; he’d made that no secret. So why couldn’t she have him? Just for this one night?
Taking another deep breath she inched her hand up his thigh, closer to his groin, and leaned into him. “Do you really want to leave me, Trent?”
He hesitated and for a moment she was afraid he was going to say yes. Instead his hand covered hers on his thigh. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
Tia broke eye contact because the longer he stared at her the guiltier she felt. She leaned closer kissing his neck. “I’m not drunk if that’s what you think.”
His hand tightened on hers but he didn’t push her away. That was a good sign.
“You’re not drunk but you’re definitely not yourself.”
God, he smelled good, strong and virile, if that had a scent. She inhaled deeply, then let her tongue slide along the line of his neck. “I’m tired of being myself,” she said.
And that was the God’s honest truth. Tia was so tired of being about business, of getting up every day, moving along as if she hadn’t a care in the world, when inside she was falling apart.
Trent said she felt good in his arms; well, it had felt good to be in his arms. Damn good. And she wanted to hold on to that feeling, at least for tonight. As if he’d read her mind he shifted, wrapping his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer.
“What do you want, Tia?” he asked in a voice that she was sure had grown hoarse.
Tia stopped kissing his neck. Her heart hammered against her chest. With the hand that had accompanied hers on his knee Trent grabbed her chin, tilting her head until he could once again look into her eyes.
“Tell me what you want from me. Because I’m not going to do anything that you aren’t completely on board with. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
She did. He wanted her to be sure that she knew whom she was with and what she was doing with him.
Tia didn’t have a doubt in her mind.
She was with Trent Donovan. The man that had driven her crazy with lustful thoughts these past few months and scared her witless with his intensity. She wanted him to make love to her tonight, to wash away the painful memories and to satisfy her quaking need.
“I want you in my bed, tonight,” she said without further hesitation. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
He stood then, picking her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist. His lips crashed down over hers, his tongue plundering hers with deep thrusts and smooth strokes. His hands cupped her bottom, gripping each mound with the promise of more to come. Tia instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck pressing her aching center into him, wanting more, needing it all.
She felt him move, turn in the opposite direction, but his hands were now pushing her dress up farther until he touched the bare flesh of her bottom, skimming the thin wisp of her thong. Her entire body shivered at the brief contact, she sighed and nipped his bottom lip.
“Which way?” he rasped.
Tia couldn’t speak but pointed toward the bedroom.
Trent’s mind roared with lustful thoughts of how he would take her, claim her, make her his for tonight. He’d thought of this often, each time changing their positions, their words. He wanted her with a desperation he’d never felt before and was more than excited at the notion that he was about to have her. Finally.
She’d unwrapped those sinfully long legs from around him the minute they were in her bedroom. Pushing the straps of her dress down she’d stood still as it fell to the floor. His mouth had literally gone dry at the sight of her in nothing but a black thong, garter belt, silk stockings and heels. The dark color only highlighted her light complexion. The sight of her stroked Trent’s skin like a whisper over his rigid sex.
“Come here,” he commanded and waited while she walked toward him.
Taking both her beautiful breasts in his hands he squeezed and closed his eyes. How many times had he imagined this? The weight of each globe, the texture of each extended nipple grazing his palms. He bent forward massaging each breast until the nipples puckered between his fingers, then licked them one after the other. She grabbed the back of his head, holding him in place and Trent’s senses blurred.
If there was one thing he loved, it was a woman who knew what pleased her. Obviously having her breasts licked pleased Tia. So he continued until she was practically begging him for more.
He moved away from her because control was another one of his pet peeves. She’d told him what she wanted and he had every intention of giving it to her, but on his terms.
He’d removed his suit jacket in the truck so his fingers went instantly to the buttons of his shirt. When she reached out to help him, he pushed her hands away. “No.”
She’d tilted her head as if she were going to question him, then instead moved her hands over her stomach, up, until she was cupping each breast similarly to how he’d just done.
Trent was so hard at the sight of her touching herself that he had to clench his teeth to keep from yelling out. Methodically he undressed in front of her watching her fingers move over her pretty nipples.
Before tossing his pants Trent removed his wallet, retrieving two condoms. With protection in hand he reached for Tia and was momentarily startled when she moved away. Looking at her in question he watched as she went around to the other side of the bed, sat and attempted to take off her shoes.
“No,” he said quickly. “Leave them on.”
Trent