Apprehension (5 page)

"I thought you weren't finished playing."

Stopping with her purse clutched under an arm, Liza stared at him. "Everyone's gone. All of my friends left. It's a little hard to play the game alone."

Piercing her with a direct look, Thor asked, "What's wrong, you afraid to play someone who could truly give you a little competition?"

"Who's that, Jack?"

Taking note of the light in her eyes, it was evident to Thor she was being playful.

Pulling out money from his jeans pocket, Thor laid it on the counter and rose from the stool. "If Jack can beat you then I know I'd spank that sexy ass of yours all over this bar."

Looking passed his shoulder, she said, "Jack, did you here that? He thinks he's better than you."

"I heard 'im," Jack responded, coming further into the bar from his office. "I'd prove him wrong if I wasn't headin' home."

"Any day, Jack," glancing in Jack's direction, Thor challenged good-naturedly. Looking back at Liza, he asked, "So, you game, princess?"

"Didn't you hear the man? He said he was going home.

Which means we'll have to find out who's better another day. Oh, wel—"

"Don't let me stand in the way of a fair competition." Jack tossed Thor keys. "Lock up when you leave. I'll stop by your house and get the keys from you in the morning."

With sure hands, Thor caught them. "Will do."

"But—"

Both men ignored her protest.

33

YVETTE HINES

"By the way, you can put that money back in your pocket."

Pushing his backside against the door to press it open, Jack finished, "You know it's no good here."

"Don't worry, Jack, it's not for the owner. It's for the bartender." Thor beamed a smile at him.

Laughing and shaking his head, Jack left.

Thor followed him out and switched the bolt to the locked position. Sliding the keys into his back pocket, Thor asked, "So, what's it going to be, Princess Liza? Will Daddy let you stay out and play?"

Shooting daggers at him, she bit out, "Fine." Tossing her purse onto a table, she marched over to the pool sticks and grabbed the one she'd replaced moments before. "Only so I can whip that smug smile off you face, officer."

Thor's smile became broader as he crossed the room to get his on stick. "Rack 'em."

Stomping over to the other end of the table, she mumbled,

"Well, I can tell I won't be playin' with a gentleman."

"That's for damn sure." Thor added chalk to the tip of his stick. He normally would have racked the balls, but he couldn't resist the temptation of watching the princess leaning forward on the table and her breast giving a nice little swing in accompaniment. "You can break."

"Thanks." She removed the triangle and pushed it in the slot on the side of the table. Grabbing her stick from where she propped it against the edge, she walked around the table planning her first move.

"So, what are we playing for?"

"My name." Finding the angle she desired, she leaned over the table and stretched one arm forward to balance the stick in the crease of her thumb and forefinger. "If I win…you stop calling me Princess Liza." Controlling the pool stick with her left hand, she rested the tip on her tented right hand and snapped it forward, hitting the tip against the top right of the cue ball.

The crack of balls knocking against each other was broken when two of them dunked into a corner pocket one after the other."I'll take solids." Liza announced.

Nodding, Thor acknowledged her request.

34

APPREHENSION

"If you happen to beat me…which I warn you no one has done in a long time, what do you want?"

Staring across the length of the pool table at her, Thor waited until she made eye contact. He said, "I want the same thing as you. If I win…" he purposely lowered his voice a notch,

"you say my name?"

He noticed the significant rise and fall of her chest.

"Fine. If you win. But that's a big 'if'."

Thor noticed her slight nervousness as her smile quivered slightly at the corners. He wondered what was behind it. Pushing the question away for the moment, he took a seat on the barstool Steve had vacated and waited for her to miss. Once she did, he would put his all into the game and make it a point to beat her.

35

YVETTE HINES

"Well, I do believe it is time for you to pay the piper," Thor told Liza as he dropped his pool stick onto the table. Over an hour later, they finished their second game. Liza had lost the first with two balls remaining on the table and had demanded they play the best out of three. This time Thor had beat her with four of her balls left on the table. He had to admit she was an awesome player.

"What are you, some kind of shark?"

Thor laughed loudly. "That would only qualify if I hadn't told you from the beginning that I was good."

"Whatever," she said, still holding the pool stick in front of her with the wide end of the stick on the floor.

Approaching her, Thor admitted, "I'll give it to you. You're really good. Too bad all of your competition consists of men in a small county who would rather allow the town princess to win just because they have hopes of getting into her panties."

Reaching out, he grabbed the pool stick in an attempt to return it to the wall.

"You don't know a damn thing, Officer Zeller." Liza yanked at the pool stick caught between their two bodies.

"I don't know anything?" A rough chuckle erupted from his lips. He caught how once again she'd purposely used his position instead of his first name. Thor leaned closer to her, his mouth almost touching hers. "I know one thing, princess. You prance around this county like you've got gold between your thighs." He stepped forward, pressing his body into hers.

"Maybe I do," she punctuated her words with a sassy tilt of her head.

Thor was hard as a hammer and he had no doubt the town princess noticed it pressing into her abdomen. "Then let's see."

36

APPREHENSION

He took a final step forward to bring Liza up against the edge of the pool table.

For a moment, he paused, watching her eyes to see if there was any sign she didn't want this. Want him.

"If you're man enough, Officer Zeller," she taunted.

That was all he needed. With a half growl and half sigh of relief he removed the pool stick from her slack fingers and tossed it onto the floor behind him. Thor bent at the knees, grabbed the back of Liza's thighs and hoisted her onto the pool table.

She gave a small scream of shock blended with a giggle when she noted her new position. She wasted no time in pulling his mouth to hers.

The kiss was rough and quick. Thor's tongue entered her mouth. She tasted like down home spices and country warmth.

The kiss went on and their tongues battled as their hands had done with the pool stick. He pulled away, breaking the contact of their lips.

With labored breathing, their chests expanded and contracted rapidly as if they had been running for miles.

He gave her a cocky grin. "Now, let's see about that pot of gold." Thor dropped down between her legs. Pushing her skirt up to her waist, he viewed white cotton panties covering her sex.

Leaning forward, he could smell the heady scent of her pussy. She wanted this as much as he did. He hooked his thumbs under the edges and stroked her wet heat. He heard her breath catch. Then he tugged, making quick work of sliding her underwear down around her ankles. Liza removed her feet from the leg holes, totally disregarding them. Her panties dropped to the floor and he spread her thighs wide and gazed at the royal treasure illuminated by the lamp hanging over the pool table.

Glistening wet, she looked like a treat waiting for him to taste. That's exactly what he did. Dragging her hips to the edge of the table Thor began to lick and lave her cunt. His tongue slid along her spicy honey-coated slit until he reached her clit. Gently flicking the stiff nub, he enjoyed Liza lifting her hips toward his mouth. He sucked her swollen lips and she cried out. Slipping two of his fingers inside of her, her slick muscles squeezed as he pumped them into her. She began to moan and whimper as he 37

YVETTE HINES

returned his attention to the kernel guiding her desire. As he circled it, she rotated her hips, matching his pattern. He watched her legs begin to shake, her thigh muscles quivering and jerking.

Liza was close to climaxing, when he leaned away from her, pausing in order to intensify her orgasm. She buried her hands in his hair, pulling him back to her.

"Please."

Chuckling, he gave in to her request. He moved back toward her sweet pussy and orally gave her what she wanted. He laved, swirled, flicked and suckled her until she exploded into ecstasy's haven. Giving her one final lick, he rose.

He and Liza's hands battled once again, this time over the fastenings of his jeans. In seconds, his button and zipper were undone and his jeans were shoved below his hips.

Liza's hands reached out and grasped his aching cock. He had to clench his teeth to keep himself under control. The soft feel of her hands circling his engorged member pushed him quickly toward his end.

"Shit," he called out when her thumb brushed the sensitive tip. With shaky hands, he pulled a condom out of his back pocket. Using his teeth to tear it open, he removed it.

She took it from his hand and slid it properly down his engorged member, then stroked his covered length.

"As good as that feels there's only one place I want to be right now."

Smiling at him coyly, she asked, "Where is—"

His deep thrust silenced her and himself as well. She was so tight. Thor's spine tingled as if held inside of a warm fist.

Closing his eyes, he took a few breaths to get himself under control. If he didn't watch himself, he would come before he'd given either of them the fullness of pleasure.

Feeling Liza arch her hips, pushing him in further, caused him to open his eyes. Looking at her lying back across the green felt expectantly heightened his arousal. Lowering his eyes, he stared for a moment at the place where their bodies were joined.

Almost poetic.

Shaking himself for the sappy thought he began to slide in and out of her snug pussy, inch by inch. Hooking her legs over 38

APPREHENSION

his arms, he leaned over her, allowing himself total access to sink completely inside of her.

"Let me see those beautiful breasts, princess," he commanded.

Without question, Liza lifted her shirt and bra, availing herself to his gaze. Her breasts were prefect globes, enough to fill a man's hand and mouth. Admiring the rose-colored tips briefly before bowing his head and taking one of them between his lips, Thor suckled her.

For the second time that night, Liza buried her hands in his hair. Feeling her fingers gripping and massaging his scalp drove him wild. Releasing her breast, he captured her mouth in a feverish kiss and propelled his hips forward, driving into her.

* * * *

The thickness of his cock sliding in and out of her body was impressive.
Boy, did he know how to use it.
A while ago, she'd kicked off her sandals and now her heels were digging into his sides and her toes were curling.

Meeting him thrust for thrust, she wanted more of him.

When he leaned, pushing her thighs wider as he pressed himself deeper, she swore the tip of his cock had touched her soul.

Needing to touch him, she unbuttoned his shirt and glided her hands across his taunt skin. The thought of having the time to savor every inch of Thor's firm body tapped at the edges of her mind.

Her fingers tingled as the second climax of the night slammed into her, pulling a scream and his name from her lips.

Behind her closed lids, her eyes burned and tears threatened to spill from them.

Moments passed before she opened her eyes and looked at Thor. A sheen of sweat coated his chest and his head tossed back as he groaned out his release. Finally, his head fell forward, bowing low.

39

YVETTE HINES

The room was quiet. No more music, no sounds of them having sex. Nothing.

Liza wanted to say something. Tell him she wasn't a whore.

Explain that she'd never done anything like this before. Even possibly thank him for protecting both of them. But she didn't know where to start. She wondered what he'd say if she told him that he was beginning to work himself into her thoughts on a daily basis.

Before she could figure out what to say, Thor stepped away from her. His semi-erect cock slid from her, leaving a hollow feeling in its wake. Looking at her for a moment, he turned away and straightened his shirt and pants.

Jumping down from the table, Liza righted her own clothes and stepped her feet into her shoes. "Thor, this was not how I'd planned my evening—"

"Look, Princess Liza," he began, cutting off her words. "I know that letting a commoner between those sweet thighs of yours probably wasn't your
plan
."

Staring at his back, Liza was shocked by his words. She wanted to turn him around and tell him that wasn't what she was going to say.

His back still to her, he continued, "Why don't you just head home and wash up before my scent sets in."

She wanted to take one of the pool sticks and smack him in the head. However, if he could say something as thickheaded as that, she doubted it would even faze him. Instead, she reached out and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to look at her. "You know, Thor, you're right, you are beneath me. But not because my dad is a general and not even because my family owns most of this town." Jabbing a finger into his chest for punctuation, she finished, "but because you're a fucking insensitive prick. And the day you moved into Claremont was the beginning of the worst days of my life."

Thor dropped his head, appearing ashamed, but Liza didn't buy it for one moment. Turning, she snatched her purse from the table and marched toward the door. When she reached it, she undid the lock, then faced Thor one last time. He'd raised his head, still standing where she'd left him, and watched her.