Tank (3 page)

“No, and she’s got a boyfriend.”

The news didn’t phase Razor. “She doesn’t have a husband. You can deal with it.”

“You got a hell of a view on things.”

“Yeah, well, be glad you don’t. Get your woman as fast as you can, and don’t let her move across the country, okay? Trust me on that one.”

“Mike called me
last night to verify you were going to Tank’s gym and taking a self-defense course.”

Shame and embarrassment burned through Jess, and she paused in shelving the reference book back in the stacks. “He what?”

Beth nodded, though by all outward appearances, her attention was still on taking notes from the book in front of her. “What I can’t believe is that he didn’t think I’d tell you about it.”

It had been two weeks since the night she had met Tank, and they were the most confusing, frustrating,
arousing
days of her life. Every night she had off, she was at Tank’s, working with him in learning defense moves. She’d even started hitting the bag, the
thumps
of her fist against the heavy material satisfying in a way she could never have predicted.

More than that, Tank himself had her revved up. He was the same as he was that first night, deadly and unpredictable, but with a sweet, protective side that made her heart swell as well as an endearing sense of humor and a strong protective streak around those he cared about.

He was also a perfect gentleman. If it wasn’t for the memory of his words that first night, the way his eyes raked over her, took her in and lapped her up before becoming professional and detached, she would say he had no interest. Even now, she doubted her memory, doubted she ever saw anything in him that responded to her as a woman.

Still, while she might be in nightly turmoil right now, she had never done anything to make Mike humiliate her like that, and she never would. Mike should know her better than that, especially since he knew her father cheated on her mother. She’d never go behind his back. The fact he had actually called a friend of hers, had put that out about her…

“It’s over between me and Mike, isn’t it?” The words were soft, but, surprisingly, there was no pain, only a flutter within her, the soft, bittersweet sigh of a dream ending.

Beth looked up, no triumph on her face though Beth had never liked Mike. There was only a sympathetic directness. “It’s been over for awhile, don’t you think?”

Yeah, it had been. Tank might have been a catalyst, she couldn’t deny that, but he wasn’t the cause, though Mike would yell and accuse her of otherwise.

“Yeah….yeah.”

‡

I
ron’s bar was
loud and raucous, the celebration going strong for Tank’s latest ring victory, his record still undefeated. As she entered, Jess noticed quite a few of the gym regulars, several of whom she liked, and others who she could as well do without. In theory, she hated the common stereotype around women, where they would be catty to each other and cut each other down to gain men’s attention, but in reality, stereotypes existed for a reason. A few of the women at the gym acted like she was their mortal enemy since she had personal sessions with Tank, a situation they didn’t share.

And tonight, well, tonight she was going to discover if Tank helped her out of friendship to Beth, or if he might have other motivations in singling her out.

Her stomach still turned at the thought, begged her to run away and not entertain such ridiculous thoughts. So what that he said nice things about her. Was he going to insult Beth’s friend? Of course not. Plus, Marilyn Monroe was considered fat these days, and what would a man who looked like Tank want to do with a woman who looked like her? All he had to do is snap his fingers and all the gym bunnies would be on their knees in front of him. That kind of power couldn’t translate into interest into a subdued, almost mousy librarian, could it?

Before she talked herself into leaving, Tank walked in front of her, and she could only categorize the look on his face as delight. It strengthened her, gave her courage to smile at him, to step forward, and maybe it would be enough for her to go through with her plan, to take him aside later and tell him that she’d broken up with Mike, and that if he was interested, she’d enjoy going on a date with him.

Or something like that. She hadn’t quite planned it through.

“Congratulations on the win. I’m sorry I had to work and miss it.” Jess had begged and pleaded, but too many people were on leave right now. Next time, she swore. Next time, even if she had to sprain her ankle to justify taking time off, she was going to see Tank in the ring. Watching him at practice mesmerized her. The thought of seeing him in action had her vibrating in anticipation.

“Next time,” he said, in an eerie echo of her thoughts. “I really want you there.”

And that was the sweetness she associated with him, as much as his gruff exterior. “Yeah, absolutely.”

Before anything else could be said, an unknown woman in a form-fitting outfit sidled up to Tank, none to subtly pushing Jess slightly back. “Tank, that was a fantastic fight yesterday. You were amazing.”

The tone was saccharine and gushing, and a flash thought went through Jess’s mind, the thought of grabbing the woman’s long dark hair and yanking her back and letting her fall on her ass. She shook her head, clearing her mind of the thought, and looked to Tank for explanations.

Tank obliged, the way he was leaning back from the women earning him points. “Jess, this lady is Jen. She goes to the gym, though I don’t think you’ve met her yet.”

There was no doubt what Jen had been hoping for, not by the way she was thrusting out her chest towards Tank, and snatching her bald was becoming a nicer thought by the second. But innate politeness won out, and she said, “Hi Jen, pleasure to meet you.”

Jen gave her one of those long dismissive looks that pretty women tended to give anyone they thought was beneath them. “Nice to meet you as well,” Jen responded, her eyes blank though her mouth was turned up at the corners, and her attention immediately went back to Tank, acting as though Jess was invisible, closing the gap between their bodies so Jen was almost riding his leg, her smile flirty with Tank. “You want to dance with me, maybe play some pool? I’d love to show you how I handle a stick.”

Snapped.
Jess had heard the word all her life, but until this exact moment, she never realized it was a tangible feeling, a crack behind your eyes, a vibration at the base of your skull.

How dare this woman with her tiny skirt and rapacious gaze dismissing Jess as nothing worthy, not thinking anything of intruding on a conversation to blatantly proposition Tank.

Mike, yelling at her, calling her pathetic, calling her a lump in the sack and useless as a woman.

Jess rubbed the base of her neck and felt it, that knot she tied her hair up in. Boring. Appropriate for a mousy librarian. Nothing like this woman, with her sexuality on display like a trophy.

Without conscious decision, she started pulling out the pins holding her hair, and as the strands fell over her face and eyes, she took in Jen.

The woman was skinny with great legs, but in that padded bra was a small B tops, and if there was one fact she absolutely knew about Tank, it was that he was a boob man. His eyes fell to her chest enough that she had no doubt about that.
Jen, you are going down.

Jess took off her sweater, exposing the black lacy top she wore underneath, the neckline a deep v and showing an impressive amount of cleavage, more than she usually exposed in public.

She walked over, putting herself between Tank and Jen. Facing the other woman, Jess leaned backwards, her back touching Tank’s front, draping and forming into his body. She brought her arms up, lacing her hands behind Tank’s neck, her head resting between neck and shoulder. “Sorry Jen, I don’t think we need a third. We’re satisfied with our twosome.”

Jen started sputtering, but Jess could care less, her attention on much more interesting sensations. Tank’s breath caught behind her, then the moist exhale hit the juncture between neck and shoulder. The muscles of his chest tensed under her back, trembling because of her closeness to him. Because of
her
. Not this woman in front of them. Because Tank wanted her.

She rolled her hips so that her ass stroked over his cock, and immediately Tank hissed in a breath, his hands gripping her hips, pulling her tight against him. He pushed closer to her, his jean-clad cock nestling into the cleft of her ass.

Jess turned her head and met Tank’s mouth with her own.

His mouth was gentle on hers, the pressure barely more than a whisper of breath. She opened her mouth to bring him in. The taste of beer was sharp on her tongue as she licked the seam of his mouth.

He groaned, opening himself up to her. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, exploring him, taking control. He let her explore, let her tongue tangle with his, and a groan vibrated through him and travelled into her.

She was dimly aware of her fingers curling into the nape of Tank’s neck and digging into his flesh. Her skin tingled in ways she never knew existed, the sound sending a wave of heat low through her belly.

He pulled his mouth away, heavy breaths puffing against her mouth. He turned her around and pressed against her so he was nestled into her pussy, every inch of him granite.

Blinking rapidly to clear her mind, Jess remembered the girl who started all this. She looked past Tank to see the girl looking at them with mouth hanging open. “Oh, you’re still here. Why?”

The girl froze in embarrassment, then, pride coming back to her, straightened her back and walked slowly away.

Jess came back to herself then, thinking of the position she was in. She licked her lips, and was greeted with a male groan of appreciation at that action.

She stretched up to nip Tank on the skin under his jaw, running her nails across the nape of his neck. Tank groaned again and rocked into her. Moving her mouth across his flesh, she made the journey to his ear, where she whispered, “I broke up with Mike. I’m free.”

Tank pulled back, his eyes hot on her again like they were for only a moment that first night, and a tingle of excitement ran through her body. “Let’s get out of here.”

‡

T
he gym was
closer, slightly darkened with the center ring highlighted, as if there were going to be a match tonight. The atmosphere was a little spooky, but then Tank brought her into his arms and descended on her as soon as the door closed, taking up every one of her senses and leaving no room for anything else.

He picked her up, those muscles on display even as she protested, “I’m too big–”

“Don’t you dare finish that thought.” His voice was low and dangerous as his teeth bit into the skin underneath her ear. “You are fucking perfect. I’ve jerked off to these curves for weeks, and I refuse to let you talk shit about yourself.”

Maybe she should protest the imagery, but all Jess was able to do was pant and moan as he rolled his hips into her again, teasing her with that thick cock. She wanted him in her
now
, preliminaries be damned. She’d been masturbating to him too, her fingers working over her clit as she imagined him above her, eyes locked with hers, teeth grinding together as he worked himself inside her.

“I want to do everything to you,
with you
. What do you want, Jess? Tell me every fantasy you’ve ever had. Let me fulfill it. Let me make you happy.”

She’d never had that before. Mike derided her for asking for anything, even as he complained she was boring and vanilla.

With Tank though, she felt everything was possible. She felt
safe
with him, safe to let him inside her desires and wants. There was a connection between them, and even though they’d known each other for such a short time, she wanted him to know her secrets.

Tank was waiting, holding her as though she weighed nothing, no tremble to his arms or strain on his face, at least, not until she began running her hands over his shoulders, raking her nails against his skin and causing him to shudder.