Here Comes Trouble Read online

  He ran his hands up her body, massaging her soft breasts with their hardened nipples for long moments before skimming across her tightly toned stomach. He loved how she felt—the dual softness and strength. Moving his hand lower, he dipped his fingers between her thighs to brush the wet flesh there.

  The soft cry from her lips encouraged his touch, and he pushed two fingers inside of her to prime her for his entry.

  Her teeth nipped at his neck, her tongue slid along his collarbone, and when she pressed her warm mouth to the rapid pulse in the hollow of his throat, he let out a groan and pushed her legs wide.

  “Condom.”

  The whispered reminder brought his actions to a screeching halt. He was so far gone he’d been ready to dive into her unrestricted. Matthew scrambled off the bed and retrieved a condom, but he didn’t return to the bed right away.

  Instead, he went to the dresser and pulled open one of the top drawers where she kept her scarves. He removed two of them and rejoined her. The handcuffs were at his apartment, so they’d have to improvise.

  A smoldering heat darkened her eyes because she knew what he wanted. She stretched her arms above her head until they touched the iron bars of the bed in unspoken acceptance. He dropped the condom on the bedside table and quickly tied her wrists until she couldn’t move.

  Propped up on his arms, he hovered over her and kissed her with a hunger that cut through him on a cellular level. He captured her gasps with his mouth, dipping his tongue between her tasty lips. She sucked him deeper into the warm depths of her mouth, making him groan helplessly, his kiss turning aggressive. He wanted to swallow her whole.

  He kissed his way lower, tuned in to every movement, every whimper, and feasted on her soft breasts—breasts that belonged to him, that he would never let another man touch for as long as he lived. From this moment forward, he would be the only man to make love to her.

  ****

  Lorena’s body ached everywhere. He gave her breasts his undivided attention, bidding the nipples to stand up with the slide of his tongue and tug of his mouth, his enthusiasm demonstrating how much he’d missed them. Being unable to move only heightened the sensations of everything he did to her. It felt so good she could only whimper her appreciation. With her eyes half closed, she lifted her body toward him with urgent desperation.

  She didn’t care. She wanted him—was filled with a need to be possessed by him. How could she have thought to lie down with someone else? No other man would do.

  His dark head moved lower, traveling over the plane of her flat stomach. The muscles of his arms bulged as he kept himself suspended over her so he could continue in his task of giving her pleasure. He dipped his moist tongue in her navel before moving further south to the cluster of dark hair. Her thigh muscles quivered when his breath fanned her heated skin, and she gasped when he made contact with her swollen flesh. She shamelessly opened her legs so he could kiss the neatly trimmed curls and lick the nub nestled there. The teasing caress made her want to scream.

  She felt the moist wriggle of his tongue as he thrust inside of her, scattering all coherent thought. She let out a cry of frustration when she moved to grab his head but couldn’t. She tried to close her legs, but he forced them to stay open, allowing his mouth to move unrestricted over her wet flesh. Fisting her hands, she struggled against her silken restraints as the flat of his tongue repeatedly rasped along her folds and clit. The constant stroking finally pushed her past her limits. With a hoarse cry, she came, her body shuddering through the climax as she drifted on a storm of ecstasy.

  Hardly able to get her bearings, she begged for him to ease up, cried out his name, but Matthew never, ever stopped. No matter how much she begged, no matter how much she pleaded.

  He moved lower, offering temporary relief, but holding her legs apart to kiss the hypersensitive skin of her inner thighs, still quivering from her climax. Down past her knees he traveled, stroking and kissing, touching and licking. It was as if they’d never been lovers before, and he wanted to learn every inch of her body.

  He leaned back on his haunches and lifted one foot. His gaze captured hers, and she remained mesmerized as he kissed around her ankle. He used his lips first, and then gradually added his tongue, alternating between kissing and licking along the sides and toes. Finally, he wrapped his thick lips around her big toe and sucked.

  A quiver of pleasure charged up the length of her body and landed in her tight nipples. Lorena jerked in reaction; the scarves cut into her wrists. One by one, he took each toe in his mouth and sucked, making her shake, curling her spine as shivers traipsed back and forth along her skin.

  Who knew a person’s feet could be such an erogenous zone? Could another man make her feel like this? She didn’t know, and she didn’t want to know.

  ****

  Matthew couldn’t wait any longer. Every ragged whisper and passion-filled cry propelled him toward filling her body after too many months apart. He wanted to bury his erection so deep inside of her she felt the tip in the back of her throat.

  He reached for the condom on the table beside the bed and tore open the packet with his teeth. Covered in protection, he pushed home, his thick length filling her with a fierce thrust.

  A strangled gasp broke from her lips, but she lifted her hips higher, her body demanding more, all that he could give.

  And he gave, pounding into her. The synergistic movements of their bodies rocked the bed. He relished the sound of her hungry pants as she took in choking gasps of air. Her head tossed back against the pillows, her slender fingers gripping the iron bars.

  He continued to drive, to pound, to thrust. With her arms secured above her head, she could only wrap her legs around him. She crossed her ankles at the small of his back, her body moving in a sinuous rhythm. She kept pace with him as if she was born for it—born to make a man reconsider everything he’d ever thought he wanted.

  “Look at me,” he panted. His back and side ached from the blows he’d suffered, but nothing could stop him from seizing this moment and the greatest pleasure he’d ever known.

  Their gazes met and locked.

  The bed creaked beneath them, suffering through each vicious thrust as he plundered her body, reclaiming her. “This is mine,” he said in a rough whisper.

  She climaxed again, hard, sobbing. Her body dripping wet, she cried out his name. Her eyes watered as he continued, relentless. Somehow she’d turned the tables on him. Instead of him spoiling her for any other man, she’d spoiled him for any other woman.

  “This is mine, goddammit,” he said, his voice raw with emotion.

  He had to prove a point: that she was his, and no other man could have her. There was no need for her to be concerned about what she was missing, because he was all the man she needed. He angled his pelvis with the next thrust, and she came again, her body contracting around him. This time the tears slid from the corners of her eyes.

  As he reached the tipping point, he dropped his head to her neck and dragged the scent of roses into his lungs. Then he came. Hard.

  A four-letter word rasped up his throat and fell from his lips. His body stiffened, and he crushed the pillows on either side of her head in his massive fists. Aftershocks rippled through his body as he grinded his hips into hers, out of control, pushing her deeper into the mattress. He heard himself groaning, but he couldn’t stop, because she was everything he never even knew he wanted, and she was his again. It felt so damn good.

  He collapsed onto her, relief filling him and sexual tension draining from his muscles. Afraid of crushing her smaller frame in his weakened state, he immediately rolled off. He lay on his back, unable to move, too weak to untie her.

  Both of them breathed heavily as they tried to catch their breaths. When he finally did, he released her from her silk bonds and pulled her into his arms. Neither of them said a word. They didn’t need to. They simply fell into exhausted sleep.

  ****

  Lorena knew the moment Matthew’s warm body left
hers. She was in bed naked—worn out but deliciously satisfied. He went into the bathroom, and a few minutes later, she heard the toilet flush. When he returned to the bedroom, he flipped the light switch on the wall and plunged the room into darkness. When he joined her in bed, they rearranged their bodies under the covers so her back pressed against his chest. He slipped his arm under her neck and looped his other arm around her waist to draw her even closer to him, his warm breath stirring her hair.

  He pulled her earlobe between his lips and sucked.

  She moaned, lowering her tired lids.

  He ran his hand down her stomach and caressed her hip. “We need to talk about what I said earlier.”

  Her eyes opened to stare into the darkened room. “You mean about…us?”

  “Yes. What do you think?”

  Quiet.

  “I don’t know what to think. It didn’t exactly work out the first time around. You don’t want a long-term relationship.”

  “That was the old Matthew. The new Matthew wants another chance.”

  “I don’t know, Matt.”

  “I know I hurt you before, but I’ve changed.” He spoke quietly. “I want you in my life.”

  “And what happens if you get bored?”

  “Boredom didn’t have any role in our relationship the first time. The problem was me being afraid and…basically not realizing what I had.” His arm tightened around her.

  “It’s not because you saw me with someone else, is it?”

  “I won’t lie, seeing you with another man almost made me lose my mind, but that’s how I know it’s real. I wouldn’t have felt that way if I didn’t care a lot about you, and I wanted you back long before I knew you were with him.”

  “Can we talk about it in the morning?” Lorena asked. She closed her eyes. She wanted to enjoy this peaceful moment and avoid a conversation that could lead to conflict.

  He pressed a tender kiss between her shoulder blades. “Okay.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The following morning, Lorena awoke to the smell of eggs and pork products. She smiled and stretched. For certain Matthew was in the kitchen, making what he called his world-famous omelet stuffed with cheese, sausage, ham, sautéed onions, green peppers, and mushrooms.

  In addition to the great sex having him back in her life brought, she could also look forward to breakfast in the morning. He liked to get up and make breakfast, his favorite meal of the day. No, any meal was his favorite, as long as there was plenty of it.

  Suddenly, Lorena bolted into a sitting position. It was a weekday. They had to go to work. She scrambled from the bed and tugged on her robe as she rushed to the bathroom. She washed up and hurried to the front of the house, finding Matthew in the kitchen in front of the stove, holding a spatula and tilting the pan so the egg mixture could cook evenly.

  He wore only a pair of boxers, the defined muscles of his back, legs, and arms on glorious display under the kitchen lights. Her heart warmed at the domestic scene, marred only by the bruises along his back.

  “Good morning,” she said, making her way over to him.

  He looked up and grinned at her, the same heart-stopping smile that had made her weak-kneed from the moment she met him. The knot on his forehead had darkened to an ugly black-and-blue-color, but there was only mild swelling. Her stomach clenched at the thought of how he could have been more seriously hurt.

  “Morning,” he said. “Hungry?”

  “For one of your omelets? Yes.” Her gaze dropped to the contents of the pan and confirmed he’d loaded up the omelet. It ramped up her appetite, making her momentarily forget about work and look forward to a slow, leisurely breakfast. After all, as her own boss, she could always go in late, and she didn’t have any appointments today. “Where’d you get all this?”

  “I went to the store while you were asleep and got all the ingredients, including another carton of eggs since I used the last of yours.”

  His arm circled around her upper back, and he pulled her close to drop an affectionate kiss on her mouth. She moaned with pleasure. It felt so right, so comfortable.

  “Sleep good?”

  “Mhmm,” she said, pressing her face into his arm to smell his musky maleness. “Best sleep I’ve had in a long time.”

  “Did I put it on you?”

  She laughed. “You’re so full of yourself.”

  “Tell the truth.”

  Lorena rolled her eyes. “Yes, Matt, you put it on me.”

  He grinned again, and her heart stopped. “Well, you know, what can I say…” he said, stroking his chin.

  Lorena hit him playfully in the stomach.

  “Ouch.” He winced, pretending to be hurt.

  Though he was playing, she had some concerns. “I know you must be really sore this morning. Maybe you should go to the doctor and make sure there are no serious injuries.”

  “No, I’m good.” He slid the omelet onto a plate with some buttered toast next to another plate with the same on it. “By the way, Rahab’s not expecting you. I called in to work for both of us.”

  “Oh, you did, did you?”

  “Yes, I did.” He took the plates over to the breakfast bar. “We’re spending the day together. You can come with me when I go get the back window of my SUV replaced.” Lorena watched him work, getting milk for both of them and setting the glasses and silverware on the bar. After he sat down, he patted the stool next to him. “Come on, let’s eat.”

  She joined him, tucking into the meal with gusto. She was hungrier than she realized, and they ate in a comfortable silence for a while before she broke it. “Matt, promise me something.”

  “Anything,” he said with a mouthful of food.

  “Promise me you won’t try to retaliate against Lewis.” When he sighed heavily, she rushed on. “Lewis and I are done, and I want this competition between the two of you to end. Let me talk to my father. He’s really close to Lewis’s dad, and I’m sure he won’t be pleased to find out Lewis paid two guys to ambush you. Most of Lewis’s money comes from his father, and he doesn’t want to upset him.”

  Matthew finished chewing and swallowed. “I can fight my own battles.”

  “I know, but let me do this one little thing.”

  With an introspective frown on his face, he sliced off a piece of omelet and popped it in his mouth. “I’ll let you handle it,” he finally agreed. She heard the “but” before he even said it. “But if he ever comes at me again, I’m not going to stop until I get my hands on him, and I’m putting him in the hospital.”

  Lorena nodded her understanding, silently breathing a sigh of relief.

  “And for the record,” he continued, “our relationship is different than what you had with him. We’re not dating or seeing each other or whatever you called it. I’m your man, and you’re my woman. We’re exclusive.”

  “Do I get a say in this?”

  “No.” He bit into his toast, his eyes challenging her.

  “You’re a barbarian,” she said, loving his possessiveness. She reached for her glass of milk.

  “A barbarian in love with you,” Matthew said quietly.

  Lorena’s arm froze midreach. She turned her head slowly to look at him, her heart thumping wildly. She didn’t know what to say after such a declaration.

  “You have me thinking about marriage and babies and forever.”

  She stared down at her plate, her throat tightening. “I don’t know what to say. I…” Her voice thickened.

  “You don’t have to say anything. Hey.” He prodded her face back toward him with gentle fingers.

  She loved him, too. In fact, she’d loved him forever, but fear kept her from telling him. It was too soon, and how could she trust he wouldn’t hurt her again?

  “I—”

  “Shh. I said you don’t have to say anything.” The intensity of his gaze turned her mute. “It took being without you to realize how important you are to me. It’s like there was no one else before you, and I don’t want there to
be anyone else after you. I want you. Just you. You and me. Forever. Always.” He cupped her cheek, and she closed her eyes to lean into his hand. “I’m going to prove it to you, Lorena. I’m going to show you that I’m ready for a serious relationship, and I want it with you. I just need you to trust me a little bit, okay?”

  She opened her eyes and nodded.

  “I’m going to woo you,” he said with a smile, melting her heart. “You won’t regret taking me back. I promise.”

  ****

  Matthew was a man of his word. When he said he would woo her, she had no idea how focused he’d be. She should have known, because he didn’t do anything halfway, and he met every challenge with the tenacity of a bulldog.

  Over the following weeks, they spent even more time together than they had the first time they were a couple. They took turns staying at each other’s homes, and on Fridays, when he didn’t have to work, they met for lunch. She looked forward to these lazy summer days, happy he chose to spend an hour or two on his free Fridays with her.

  He never showed up empty-handed. One day he brought flowers, another day truffles from her favorite chocolate shop. Still another day he showed up with a couple of paper sacks in hand, after driving all the way to the north side of the city to pick up a hunk of her favorite cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory restaurant. They’d devoured the lunch he brought, sitting on a blanket in the shaded grass behind her office building. With her back against his chest, she’d eaten the entire piece of cake. When he came over later that night, she showed her appreciation and worked off the high-calorie indulgence.

  They also worked out together and double-dated with her brother and his sister. They attended baseball games in the luxury of a private suite, thanks to Matthew’s brother. Derrick’s company had a suite at club level, where they ate delicious food, good-naturedly argued with the other ticket holders, and rooted for the home team, the Atlanta Braves.