Stone Cold: A Bad Boy Romance (60 page)

I understood completely. When you're that young, you don't see the whole picture. Hell, it's hard to see the whole picture as an adult. I probably would have done the same thing as little Gunner. I didn't want to pry any further but his story was so interesting. “What happened to you after that?”

“When am I going to learn something about you?” He smirked.

“I'll answer anything you want to know, but first you have to finish your story.”

Gunner's eyes went dark again. “I was fourteen when I finally had enough of my mom. She tried to hit me with a bottle again, but this time I was older and stronger. I hit her square in the jaw and she dropped to the ground. I left that day and never looked back. When I was eighteen, I joined the army and never looked back. That's how I met my brothers. They're the only family I got.”

His story was heart-wrenching. I suddenly felt guilty for having two loving parents. Not everybody gets the same chances growing up. I truly am lucky.

Gunner lifted me head by the chin. “Don't look so sad. Look at me now—all that's in the past now. I'm doing really great.” He rubbed his hands in excitement. “Now it's my turn.”

I had forgotten I agreed to answer any question he had.

“What's the real reason you stayed a virgin for so long.”

“But I told you, I was way too busy studying.”

“No that's an excuse. You could have taken an hour break to have sex with the line of guys at your door.”

I blushed. “I wish there was a line of guys outside my door.” I laughed. “There were a couple guys in high school that had a thing for me but I felt like I wasn't good enough for them. If they saw who I really was, they'd run away.”

“So why now? Why me?” he asked.

“I've never felt this instant connection with anyone before. I probably should have waited a little longer before sleeping with you, but I couldn't help myself.”

Gunner ran his fingers through my hair. “You're irresistible. There's no way I could have waited any longer.”

Is he talking about me?

I turned away from Gunner and he spooned me from behind, his flaccid penis pushing against my ass. His arms wrapped around me and he nuzzled the back of my neck with his nose. I felt so safe that I didn't want this moment to end.

I had been through so much that day. The sudden impact of everything I went through, hit me all at once. I was so exhausted.

The sun pierced the blinds and hit my face, baking my skin until I awoke. My legs and arms were entangled with Veronica's. I stared at her calm face while she slept. She looked so peaceful—so beautiful.

Why did a girl like Veronica pick me? I was no good for her—damaged goods. I'd only end of corrupting her. The VA was no place for someone as smart as her. Veronica was going places and I didn't want to bring her down.

I leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. I didn't want to leave but I had to—it was the only way to keep her safe. I grabbed my keys, wallet, and phone off the nightstand. I found my jeans sprawled out on the floor. I quietly put my legs through and raised them up, buckling the belt.

Veronica shifted in bed. I froze for a second and she opened her eyes.
Fuck!
This was not how I wanted her to see me.

“Good morning, lover,” she said, rubbing her eyes. Veronica's gaze went down to my jeans and her eyes shot open. “Going somewhere?”

I knew I couldn't leave her. She was perfect in very way. “I was just going to make a call to John to see if everything was okay yet.”

Veronica rolled around, the sheets becoming taut, conforming to her perfect skin. My pants got tighter. How could she have such an effect on me?

“I'll be right back.”

“Don't be too long.” She smiled. I needed a photo of her happy face to look at whenever I wanted to.

I went outside and almost collapsed against the closed door, my heart beating in my chest. I didn't want to leave Veronica. I was scared—terrified because things were moving so quickly. I'd never felt this way about a girl before. This was undiscovered territory.

I think I'm in love
.

I pulled out my phone and called John.

“Where are you, Gunner?” John asked quickly.

“A motel.”

“Thank God you're safe.”

“What about Hudson and Bryce?”

“They're fine. Hudson took a bullet to the shoulder but he's going to be fine. I have the doc working on him now.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “That's good to hear.”

The memory of Wyatt came flooding back to me. I'd been so caught up with Veronica that I forgot all about it. My throat closed up and I choked on tears. “Wyatt was a good man,” I told John.

I could hear John on the other end trying to hold it together. “He was family and he'll be missed.” After a moment of silence. “Is the girl all right?”

“She's a little shaken up but fine. How are we going to strike back at the Russians?”

“Not over the phone, Gunner, we'll talk later today at the VA.”

He was right. I shouldn't be talking about business on the phone. You never know who's listening. “See you soon.”

Now I needed to figure out what to do with Veronica. Could we really be happy together? I hoped so.

I went back into the hotel room and the bed was empty, the sheets strewn about. The shower was running and steam escaped through the open bathroom door. I stepped softly along the carpet, taking off my jeans as I sneaked into the bathroom. The dense fog barely gave any visibility. I could see the outline of Veronica behind the glass shower door—her figure was a sight to behold. Every curve of her body begged to be touched—worshiped.

I opened the shower door and crept inside. Veronica didn't notice me as she washed her hair. I wiped the suds out of her eyes and she smiled at me.

“I was hoping you'd come in.”

“How could I resist?”

I wrapped my arm around her back and pulled her to me. Our lips collided with a bang. Veronica moaned as my tongue entered her mouth.

The way she cried out turned me on so much. My erection pressed against her belly, pulsing with heat. The warm water soothed my skin.

“Last night couldn't have been more perfect,” she whispered.

“I want you so badly,” I replied. I tugged on her hair, tilting her head back so I could kiss her throat.

Veronica put my hands on my chest and pushed me away.

Did she not want me?

“I want to make you feel good,” she said with a devilish grin. Veronica got down on her knees in front of me.

Fuck yes...

Veronica grasped my shaft with both hands. She kissed my tip, lightly flicking her tongue against it. She looked into my eyes and opened wide before shoving my length into her mouth. I groaned as she wrapped her lips around my manliness. My breathing quickened and Veronica pushed me in and out.

I brushed her soaking wet hair out of her face and held it into a ponytail behind her head. She gripped my hardness with one hand and stroked as she went down on me.

I thought she had never been with a man before.
Where did she learn to do this?

Veronica sucked on me hard and then pulled my erection out. It was my turn to pleasure her. I tried to lift Veronica by the arms but she wasn't done yet. Not even close.

She ran her tongue all the way down from the tip to the base. A shiver ran down my spine as she put me back in her mouth. “Please Veronica, I'm so close. You need to stop.”

She ignored anything I said and kept going. The pleasure felt so good, I didn't want to argue anymore.

“Oh Veronica!” I yelled as I unloaded inside her mouth. Veronica's head bobbed up and down on me, swallowing all my semen.

Holy fuck! I can't believe this.

Veronica pulled me out and wiped my seed that was dribbling from the corner of her lips. My knees could barely hold me up. I fell down next to Veronica on the shower floor. The water cascaded off both of us as I held her against my chest.

“Did you like that?” she asked innocently.

“I thought you told me you'd never done that with a guy before?”

“Never have.” Veronica smiled.

“You're too damn good.”

Veronica beamed with pride. “You taste so good.”

“Does this mean we're going out?” I asked.

Veronica lifted her head from my chest. “That's no way to ask a girl out.”

The thought of having a girlfriend was repulsive. In all my years I had never even been close. But somehow with Veronica, it was all different. “Will you be my girlfriend?” I said through a clenched  jaw.

“You really mean it? We've only been together for a short while. I don't want you to have any regrets.”

I nodded. “You're all I ever wanted, Veronica.”

“I'll be your girlfriend, Gunner,” she replied with tears in her eyes.

I took her in my arms and pressed my lips against hers. “You're all mine now,” I whispered in her ear.

“And you're mine,” she replied.

I desperately wanted to say I love you but I knew it was too soon. There was no way she could be feeling the same way.

I fell apart around him, my orgasm firing on all cylinders as Gunner took me from behind. He grasped my hips and forced his way deeper and deeper inside me. I could barely hold myself up on the bathroom counter—my breasts bouncing back and forth as he crashed against me with every thrust.

How could he have so much energy? He just came in my mouth only moments ago.

“I'm going to come, Veronica,” Gunner moaned. His fingernails dug into my sides as he found his release. He called out my name once more before finishing and collapsing on my back. My arms couldn't hold the weight and I fell onto the cold counter.

I wanted to tell him I loved him and that I would never leave his side. But I was too exhausted. That orgasm had taken everything out of me.

We got dressed, watching each other closely. I wanted to trace every muscle of his body so I could commit it to memory. I wanted to undress him again and relive last night and this morning all over again.

“Time to go now, Veronica.”

“Yes, sir,” I replied, doing a fake salute.

Gunner grinned and collected our things. The sun burned brightly as we exited the motel; Gunner's car was right where we left it. I remembered my first ride with the top down and the vibrations beneath my thighs—how it turned me on so much. But nothing turned me on more than Gunner touching my naked flesh.

I sat in the passenger seat and placed my hand on Gunner's thigh as he turned the key in the ignition. We weren't strangers anymore. Gunner was my boyfriend now.

I wanted to say it out loud just to make this was all real.

My heart jumped with glee. I was no longer a freak—no longer a virgin.

We drove off and I enjoyed the nice breeze and the feel of Gunner's hand in mine. I wanted to ride around town all day with him. Gunner stopped outside of my apartment.

“So this is where you live?” he asked.

“Yep, home sweet home.”

“Any roommates?”

“I did but she moved out at the end of last semester.”

“Why don't you invite me inside?” Gunner grinned.

The thought of Gunner taking me on every surface of my apartment was a tantalizing image but I shook my head. “I would but I know what would happen if we were alone again. I just have to work on my anthro paper for a little bit.” The words felt so idiotic the moment they came out of my mouth. I wanted him so badly.

“You sure you're not going to run away?”

“I can't, my car is still at the VA.”

Gunner smiled. “How about I pick you up in a few hours?”

“That would be perfect.”

Gunner leaned outside the car window and planted a kiss on me cheek. He put his sunglasses back on started his Mustang. The thunderous roar of the engine vibrated in my chest. I waved and exhaled as he drove away.

I went into my apartment and everything looked foreign. I had only been away for a day but it felt like an eternity. I went to the kitchen and opened the fridge for something to eat—completely empty. I fixed myself a cup of tea instead and opened up my laptop to a blank Word document. I wanted to get down as much information as I could before I forgot. My notes from yesterday were pretty much useless.

Flashes of last night distracted me from my work. How could I get any work done when Gunner was the only thing on my mind? I thought long and hard until the perfect title came to me: