Rock Steady (27 page)

“It’s sexy…” He sounded far away, and yet almost inside her head. She settled back into the hold of the swing as he slid the tip of the dildo across the edges of her labia. Sensation shot up into her belly, her clit feeling like it was about to pop.

“It’s so damned sexy watching you…”

“Yeah…sure…” Her lips had gone dry. She swallowed and tried again, but he trailed the dildo across her folds again; this time, the smooth glass slipped easily between them, because of how wet she was.

“I am sure.” Each word was hard and blunt. She lifted her eyelids to find Ramsey shooting her a hard look. “Surer than anything, I need to please you, Jewel. Need to ensure you never want another man. I don’t just want you to be mine, I want you to believe you belong with me.”

“I want it too.” She tried to curl up, seeking a tighter connection with him, needing him deep inside her. The swing made it too hard. Ramsey pushed her back too easily. “I want you!” she demanded.

His features tightened. “But you could want me more…”

His gaze lowered to her spread sex. The determination glittering in his eyes made her belly knot. He was going to drive her past the edge of reason. It was both exhilarating and unnerving. But she lost all grip on thought as he teased her body, using the toy expertly, gliding it across her clit, through her slit, until she was sure she was going to climax just from a single touch. Only then did he insert it into her. The very walls of her pussy felt like they were trying to grip it. When he penetrated her to her core, she cried out, the sound deep and primitive, because he’d touched some spot inside her that seemed to have been made as a secret collection of nerve endings that were just waiting for him to discover.

“That’s the spot.” He withdrew the dildo and thrust it back until she jerked when he connected with the same spot. “Your G-spot. You like it.…right…there…”

The term for the fabled sex promised land got through to her. Jewel opened her eyes, feeling like her eyelids were almost too heavy for the lifting, and caught the look of triumph on Ramsey’s face. He pressed the dildo back into her, teasing her clit with his thumb as he rotated the toy against her G-spot.

She jerked, crying out as it felt like she was going to snap in two. She’d never needed to fuck so badly, never craved having the motion of a cock inside her so much. It was overwhelming, and she flung herself into it willingly.

“Fuck me.” Her voice was loud, bouncing around the suite, and she didn’t give a rat’s ass. “Fuck me…
Now!
”

Ramsey looked up her body, triumph shimmering in his dark eyes. “Yes…ma’am.”

The toy dropped to the floor with a clatter. There was a slight hum as he lowered the swing again, right to the perfect height for him to impale her.

“Get me out of this thing,” Jewel insisted, craving his weight on her.

“No way.” He ripped open a condom and sheathed himself before he grasped her hips and seated himself to the hilt with one hard thrust. “You’re mine right now. All mine.”

He grasped the straps of the swing and pulled her toward him as he fucked. She loved every second of it. Their bodies met with a wet slap, and the room was filled with the sounds of their groans. There wasn’t thought; there was only needy purpose. It seemed to root in the very walls of her cells. A part of her nature she’d never realized was there, just waiting for the right man to touch.

Ramsey let it loose. Set it free. Set her free. She strained toward him, fought against being controlled so completely, and finally cried out in rapture as he delivered on his promise. Was she conquered? Possibly. All Jewel knew was that she was twisting in the grip of something that could only be called rapture. It surpassed pleasure or climax. It was zenith. It wrung her and stole her breath and dropped her into the hold of the swing as Ramsey collapsed on top of her, his head falling to rest on her chest.

* * *

Ramsey cupped handfuls of the bubbling water in the spa and smoothed it over her shoulders. The moment was perfect, and yet her mind insisted on returning to the business of thinking, a major killjoy for sure.

“You need to let me do the additions,” she said at last, realizing she was being a coward by holding off the conversation.

He tensed behind her, cupping her shoulders. She turned around, straddling him, and the bubbling water teased her nipples. “I need to know if you’ll ask me to stay.”

“Christ,” he cursed as he buried his head against her neck. “I’m a fucking coward.”

He lifted his head back and looked into her eyes. “Stay with me. Please, Jewel.”

His tone was needy, just as needy as she felt. She cupped his chin. “I will.”

Something felt like it was lodged in her chest, and she realized it was a bubble of happiness. Oh, it didn’t make any sense, there wasn’t a bit of logic to be found anywhere, but it was there.

And she was not going to question it. Instead, she lifted up and sheathed his cock, taking refuge in the physical pleasure their flesh created. It was time to live in the moment.

And savor every second of it.

Because tomorrow wasn’t promised.

* * *

“Epic.”

Jewel had been chewing her lip as Ramsey inspected his ink. The additions had been challenging, but she realized she wanted to excel, because it was Ramsey. He turned in front of the mirror a few more times before looking at her. For a moment, she felt a connection between them that was unexpected.

Uncertainty.

She smiled back and realized it was an awkward smile, which made her choke. Ramsey gave her a harassed look. Jewel lifted her hands into the air. “I’ve finally found something you’ve never done before. Something you’re a virgin at.”

He snorted and turned to face her. “Something tells me you’re not referring to the ink.”

“Our relationship.” It felt like she’d pounded a gavel. The silence in the room was heavy. “I hope you aren’t going to turn into a nice guy or anything.”

He grunted but came across the room to settle in front of her. He sank down on his knees and hugged her to him, his head against her chest.

“I should,” he said at last, his voice muffled.

“Should…what?”

He loosened his grip on her and looked up from where he’d settled on his haunches in front of the chair she was sitting in. “Become a great guy…”

He was thinking. She could see his thoughts buzzing as he contemplated her.

“Come on.” He was in action before he’d finished talking. Ramsey jumped to his feet and yanked a T-shirt off a hanger. The staff took their jobs seriously, even hanging up T-shirts.

Ramsey shrugged into it, never giving even a stiff breath over his new tat.

“You’re an animal,” Jewel said. “That has to at least sting.”

He had the shirt in place and was grinning at her with an expression that she was pretty sure said “seriously?” “Okay. Okay…” She lifted her hands in mock surrender. “Sorry I questioned your badassness.”

“You should be.” He pulled her bag off the chair it was sitting on. “I feel the need to prove myself.”

She snorted out a giggle. “Can’t wait.”

He had the outer door to the suite open for her. Once they were in the hallway, he captured her hand and pulled her toward the elevators. Steven opened his door as they passed, but Ramsey waved him off. “I’ll take this watch.” The bodyguard grinned as he reached up and loosened his tie.

“You need to tell him he can ditch the suit,” Ramsey said when they hit the elevator.

“I did,” she countered. “I think he’s trying to keep up with Yoon.”

Ramsey grinned. “Yeah. Yoon will die in that suit. His grandmother bought it for him when Taz got him the job.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to mess with Yoon’s grandmother. So I can’t really blame Steven for not wanting to either.”

A Harley was waiting outside the door, but Jewel hung back, tightening her grip on Ramsey’s hand. “Your ink is fresh.”

Ramsey tugged her toward the bike. “Told you before, sweetheart, I like to play rough.” He swung his leg over the bike and jerked his head at her in invitation. “Scratch me a little, kitty cat. I promise only to bite when you’re in the mood for it.”

Her insides curled, anticipation prickling along her skin. She moved forward and joined him. The moment she wrapped her arms and legs around him, he took off into the Milwaukee evening, handling the bike expertly as the scent of his skin filled her senses.

Wherever she’d thought he was taking her, a public high school parking lot wasn’t it. The dated building of the gym was painted with the school’s mascot. It was a falcon of some sort, or maybe a hawk, the cartoon nature of it making it hard to interpret. Ramsey angled the bike and drove right through the closed gate and up to the entrance of the football stadium. The lights were on, the members of the football team down on the field in their sweats as the sound of the coach’s whistle floated up to them.

“Come on. I want to introduce you to my past.” Ramsey was off the bike and offered her a hand.

“You went here?” she asked, feeling slightly giddy, like she was being invited inside his secret sanctum for a peek at his personal secrets.

He nodded. “Spent plenty of sunsets on that field.”

He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her in what she’d come to recognize as the position he took when he was in the mood to let his personal guard down. It was a privilege, one she didn’t take for granted. Below them, the football team continued to drill, the sun beginning to sink on the horizon.

“I like being here with you a lot more,” he whispered against her ear.

“You must have had plenty of girlfriends.”

He snorted. “I was a god among geeks, more nerd than the science fiction junkies. I put practice in Syon’s parents’ garage above dates.”

“Come on, you were on the football team,” she offered hopefully.

He shook his head, his chin rubbing against her shoulder. “Track. I ran sprints. The faster I moved, the sooner practice was over and I could get back to music. My parents insisted on sports.”

Her gaze moved to the running track that went around the football field. There were a couple of youths taking turns timing one another.

“I wanted to run away and did my best.”

She angled her hands up and rubbed his forearms. Wanted to reach back and soothe the teenager he’d been. Somehow help lift some of the pain away.

“Not that any kid at that age really understands what he wants anyway,” he finished off in an effort to be nonchalant.

“You did,” she answered softly. “You just needed time to catch up with yourself and make it possible for you to seek your own path. Parents do the best they can. Even if it seems like they aren’t understanding.”

He grunted and went silent.

“Does that sound mean you hate your parents?” Maybe she was digging deeper than he was willing to go, but the question just felt natural.

Ramsey shrugged behind her. “Nope, they hate me.”

“No parent hates their child.”

He was quiet for a long moment, and his embrace tightened. “Fine, they deeply disapprove of my life choices.”

“You mean your music,” she clarified. “I would imagine they were proud of your Navy service.”

He nodded.

“I’m guessing you learned a lot of your vocals in a choir.”

He laughed softly. “I can sing a hallelujah pretty good.” He shifted, stroking her arms and inhaling against her hair. “Syon’s parents let us listen to heavy metal. My parents had a meltdown when they discovered what they considered a lapse in parental monitoring.”

“Like you wouldn’t have found the music without that.”

“Exactly,” he agreed. “I can’t recall when I heard it first, but I knew it was the music in my soul.”

“I hear that,” she said. “When you’re on stage, or anytime really. But I realize I see your military training too. The first time I saw you perform, I thought you looked like you were storming that stage. Your training showed.”

“I hated going, but you’re right, that experience, being on the ground in a hot zone, it tightened things up inside me, gave my music an edge I’d only been faking before that.”

They were quiet for a long moment, hearing only the sound of the coach’s whistle. She felt the tension in him, the pain left from childhood that really needed to be dealt with. “Well, your parents just need to get past their objections. They don’t have to share your taste in music. You will always be their son. Are they still in the area? Because if they are, you better have called them and tried to meet for lunch. Leave it up to them to reject you, but you gotta try. Right is right.”

“And wrong is always wrong?” He laughed, but it was hollow and stung her. She ached for him, for the dark pit he was still dealing with where all the hurt of his youth was piled up.

“I’m serious. Our past shapes us, so don’t let it make you bitter. You’ve used that part of your life to fuel who you are. You’ve got to appreciate that much, and the choir. You did learn how to play…right? And read music? Respect the need for practice? Without that foundation, what would you be?”

He moved so he could look at her. “You know, from anyone else, I’d call that a line intended to worm your way into my heart.”

Jewel slowly smiled. “Oh…so you admit you didn’t sell your heart at a pawn shop?”

His lips rose into a grin. “Maybe I went back and paid up, since I thought I might need it now.”

She blushed and looked away. He reached out and lifted her chin with two fingers, bringing her gaze back to his. What she saw there stole her breath.

And hit her square in the solar plexus.

Ramsey leaned forward and kissed her. A sweet kiss, one reminiscent of high school sweethearts and full of all the uncertainty they both felt. But most important, his fingers trembled, and she shivered as she realized how truly important the kiss was.

It was a pledge of affection.

“Okay, we’ll try it your way,” Ramsey said while offering her a hand. When she was standing beside him, she caught the uncertainty in his eyes. “But you might regret it. Actually, I’m pretty sure you
are
going to regret it.”

“Umm…regret what exactly?” She needed clarification, because the promise in his tone sent a ripple of apprehension down her spine. One thing she’d learned to trust Ramsey on was that the guy delivered in grand, over-the-top style.