The Wicked Bad (Crimson Romance) (6 page)

“Outside? Won’t the neighbors hear? Your brother?”

It appealed to him what she proposed; she could see the approval in his glittering, amber eyes.

“I haven’t any neighbors. The businesses are closed and Ty is watching
The Guns of Navarone
on full tilt, he won’t hear a thing.”

“I like old movies, but this isn’t the time to discuss them.” His eyes darkened.

“Nick, I want you, too. Do it, now. Hard and fast. Against the wall, bent over those crates, I don’t care.”

Veronica could not believe she said those words. Never in her life had she spoken so plainly, so wantonly. The conflicting sensations of being on fire, but soaking wet, rolled through her. She trembled and shuddered with anticipation, her body heavy with need.

“Please.” She reached out and laid her hand on his bare chest. His heart thundered under her touch. Nick removed his jacket and dropped it to the ground.

“Hard and fast, coming up, baby. I couldn’t go slow right now if I tried.”

Veronica lowered her sweatpants and smiled seductively. The long T-shirt barely covered her rear.

• • •

Nick gazed at her intently, her face alive with emotion. Ronnie wanted him almost as much as he wanted her. Never in his life, in all his many sexual escapades with women had he been whipped into a sexual frenzy like this. He had to have her — or die. The sensation was that dire and serious. These feelings and emotions drove him to ride by her bakery constantly the last twenty-four hours. He was ready to break the damned glass to get at her, the urge and the need that strong. What in hell was wrong with him? Reaching for her waist, he lifted her T-shirt. Oh, sweet Christ, she had no underwear on.

His cock slammed against his zipper. He plundered her mouth; at the same time he cupped her curls and one long finger entered her folds. Ronnie was as wet and ready as he could hope for. She gasped under his lips. It wouldn’t take much to make her come, could he wait? He moved in and out while his tongue matched the thrusts in perfect unison. She rode his finger; he felt the hardened nub and rubbed as her feminine softness clutched his finger and held on. Ronnie came in less than a minute. Nick swallowed her screams as he kissed her even more deeply. Finally, her shuddering stopped. Reaching in his back pocket, he pulled out a condom.

“Yes, Nick,” she whispered.

Nick looked around, how to do this? He sat her on the tall crate. Perfect. Exact height he hoped for. All he had to do was stand in front of her, spread those luscious thighs, and take what he had dreamed about since he was eighteen years old. He lowered his zipper. He wore no underwear either tonight. Grabbing his hardened cock, he pulled it out.

Ronnie’s eyes widened. The look of amazement on her face caused him to smile. She reached out and her fingertip followed the pulsating vein from the base to the tip. He bit on his lip so that a barely restrained hiss emitted from his lips.

“Nick. Your cock is so — thick,” she whispered, almost with awe.

So thick that at times it was hard to get a condom on.

“Help me out here, Ronnie.”

She didn’t hesitate. She grabbed him with both hands while he tried to get the condom over his rock hard prick. He was so rigid, never been this stiff before. His breath puffed out in ragged gasps, he’d be hyperventilating soon. Yeah, that would be attractive. Breathe into a paper bag while having sex. His hands grasped her shapely legs and he pushed in, just a little bit to let her get used to him. Ronnie gasped and moaned all in the same breath. He pushed in a little more.

“Hard and fast, Nick.”

He lost control. The thread snapped and he pumped her with wild abandon. His hands cupped her ass. He brought her closer so she took all of him, right to the hilt.

He closed his eyes. If he thought Ronnie was in another orbit the other night, she couldn’t have been in the same dimension as him at the moment. Pure, unfettered pleasure, the most intense sex he’d ever had. Nick had plenty of sex since he was sixteen years old. So many women he’d lost count.

Her inner muscles clenched and grasped him and he moaned. She joined his groans of pleasure and the sounds made him move faster. Ronnie shuddered, her back arched as she came, again and again, waves of it. Nick joined her as every muscle in his neck clenched. He literally roared with the release, an animal sound he’d never heard come from his own lips before. His eyes opened and he glanced down at Ronnie. She smiled. He withdrew, his cock still semi-erect. The astonishing thing was his body was ready to go again. Right away.

Ronnie stood on her toes, took his flushed face in her hands, and kissed him, hard. He reached his hands around her waist and pulled her against him and kissed her back. The deep, passionate kiss stoked the already roaring flame between them. The air was heavy with the musky odor of sex.

Ronnie tore her lips away and walked over to the wall, her hips swayed suggestively. Facing the wall with one hand flat against the brick, she leaned over and gave Nick a peek of paradise as her T-shirt rode up. She rotated her hips in a slow, sensual tease.

“Hard and fast, Nick. Again,” she said huskily.

Nick’s jaw literally dropped open. Another fantasy of his about to be fulfilled, taking her from behind. Reaching down, he tore off the used condom and fumbled in his pocket for another. He took the used rubber, the wrappers, and shoved them in his coat pocket. Sheathed, he walked up behind her and moved her shirt up while he explored the round, tight globes of her luscious ass. His fingers found her wet pussy. Never in his fevered dreams had he imagined Ronnie to be this passionate and eager. He loved it.

Hard and fast? Whatever the lady wished. Holding her steady, He spread his large hands on either side of her thighs and plunged in deep, right to the hilt again. Nick pulled out his cock, and then plunged in again. She had both hands against the wall.

“Deeper, Nick,” she moaned.

God, how could he get any deeper? The thrusts and the slow withdraw continued and her moans grew louder. He found a slow, languid pace that they both rode. Nick could’ve done this all night. The air around them was heavy and desirous. The sounds of skin making contact and the sucking, wet sound of her feminine core stoked his lust higher. He thought it the most glorious sounds in the world. Minutes passed, and still he continued the pace. He quickened the pace as her inner muscles clenched his cock tight in an intimate embrace. He thrust faster, Ronnie cried out his name. He loved the sound of his name on her lips as she came.

Nick’s intense and numbing climax came right after hers. His knees were ready to buckle. He pulled out, tore off the condom, adjusted himself, and zipped his pants. Nick couldn’t handle anymore tonight, even though his body screamed for more. But it wasn’t just his body, his emotions were in turmoil. Intense sure, but this was more than just sex and it confused him. He didn’t want to feel anything for her. He fulfilled enough of his fantasies regarding Ronnie Barnes. He should get on his bike and ride off. Move on with his life — without her in it. He didn’t want to care for her or anyone.

Ronnie walked into his arms and kissed his chin affectionately, her fingers stroked his goatee. Nick stood stock-still, not moving or reacting to her tender kisses. He didn’t dare, or he would take her back to his place and make love to her as she deserved to be made love to. In his bed all night — with an aching, tender passion. Not this animal sex out behind her bakery. Even though it was the most satisfying, off-the-charts, animal sex he’d ever experienced.

Nick glanced down into her beautiful, shimmering, blue-gray eyes. Ronnie looked at him with such warmth and pleasure. If he was a total jerk he would just turn and walk away. He’d done it before with other women — many times.

His legs wouldn’t move. What does he say to her? Some glib, offhand remark dismissing what they shared? Was she as deeply affected as him? Gazing into her eyes, he could see her emotions were in chaos the same as his. It seemed Ronnie didn’t hide her feelings. Unlike him, he thought cynically. Nick already wore that mask of indifference he’d worn his whole life. The mask became harder to wear with Ronnie Barnes.

• • •

Veronica’s heart fluttered madly in her chest. She had to protect herself before she fell off the cliff into a pit of tumultuous emotions. William Titus was still too painful and raw. The scab had not even begun to form over the open wound.

Hot sex does not translate into a long lasting relationship. Or love.
Her hands slowly traveled up his chest, the muscles flexed and bunched under her touch. How she wished it did. Nick grabbed her wrists and gently pulled her away from him.

“I have to go,” he said, his voice gravelly and deeper than usual.

He brought her clenched fists to his lips and brushed a quick kiss over them. Nick let go and stepped back.

She had to say something, but what? The unruffled, cool look on his face spoke volumes.

“Nick, I want something from you, but it’s not what you think. I’m not looking for anything serious here. I want us to continue this — sex. I liked it, a lot. I want more. That’s all I want from you.”

Veronica watched him closely. He didn’t react or blink his eyes, nothing.

“Sex, baby? No problem.” His voice sounded detached and distant. “I can deliver. So, when do you want it next? Should we make a firm time and place? Once a week? Twice? Just tell me and I’ll pencil you in.”

“You pick the time, I’ll be there. I’ll even bring the condoms,” she retorted in the same cool, detached voice he used.

One eyebrow shot up, did the corner of his mouth quirk slightly? It was hard to tell in the shadow of the alcove. She leaned down, picked up her sweatpants, and stepped into them. She reached for his jacket and handed it to him.

“Thanks, Nick.”

He took the jacket and slipped it on. “Fine, I’ll get back to you.”

She nodded curtly. “You do that, I’ll see if I can pencil
you
in.”

Nick walked away and didn’t look back. In the distance, she heard the familiar roar of his motorcycle as he accelerated down the street.

Hot, miserable tears clustered in the corner of her eyes. This was too much.
He
was too much. Veronica wasn’t ready for this. Did she really think she could keep herself removed from him, coolly enjoy his body, then walk away and not engage her heart? Because never had she enjoyed a man or enjoyed sex more than she did with Nick. There was still so much more to explore. Nick may be in her blood, but she would make damned sure he never reached her heart. No man would ever hurt her again.

• • •

Nick didn’t turn toward the dock area or his bar. Instead, he raced through downtown letting the cool evening breeze ruffle his hair. He had to get away from her as fast as he could and he didn’t even take the few minutes to put his helmet on. Lets the damn cops stop him, he didn’t care. Nick made the turn toward the I-95 north exit. He’d had nights like this before, drive all night to forget. Tonight, he wanted to forget her. Maybe he’d head east and cross the state line into Delaware and head to the Atlantic Ocean to Bethany Beach, a place he favored in the past.

Forget it all. The hurt and the rejection. All these years nothing had changed
.

I want you for sex.

Apparently that’s all he was good for. Man meat. Stud on speed-dial. Order him up like he was a damned pepperoni pizza. He should just cut it clean.

Forget her and her delectable curves, her hot, luscious mouth, and her inviting, moist core that clenched him tighter than any woman ever had before. Her sexy demands that he go deeper, harder — faster.

His first instincts were right. Nick never should’ve had sex with her. He wanted more, just as he suspected. The more he had sex with Ronnie, the closer she’d worm her way into his heart. Nick inhaled deeply. He could smell her essence all over him. He would never get that scent out of his nostrils as long as he lived.

The early morning going-to-work flurry of customers had thinned out, and it was too early for the lunch crowd. Veronica had been open a week now, and couldn’t be more pleased at the results. A lot of the traffic she reasoned was due to the fact of the newness of the bakery. She knew the novelty would wear off after a couple of weeks, but the whole experience had turned out to be enjoyable.

If only she was able to get enough sleep. She tried to watch the rest of the movie with Tyler last night, but couldn’t concentrate. Mumbling she was tired, Veronica retired to her room, but tossed and turned and watched the clock move. At three in the morning, she rose and began the ritual of preparing the dough for her bread and rolls.

Nick.
Her mind raced and relived everything that happened. How did it fall apart? Veronica tried to be affectionate with him after they were done, but he just stood there like a marble statue, his face devoid of feeling or emotion. The only thing she could do in response was slam up her protective fence as well.

It all went downhill from there. They were both frosty and detached treating what they shared as if it had been nothing at all. How could it turn so cold and meaningless to him? The sex was the best she’d ever had. If she continued with Nick, it would get even better and go right off the charts. Even though the sex had been wild, there was so much more underneath, she didn’t imagine that. Veronica wouldn’t let her emotions come into play here, since it was obvious Nick didn’t. How to explain the romantic gesture at the beach? No doubt all part of the seduction and probably one he used many times with countless women. Veronica slammed her apron on her baking table and headed out front where Julie did a count of the bread and rolls.

“Take a break, Julie.” Veronica pulled the stool to the counter and motioned for Julie to take the other one. “I wonder if I can ask you about Nick Crocetti.”

Julie placed the clipboard on the counter and sat on the nearby stool.

“I don’t know what I can tell you.”

“Tell me about the women. I take it there have been a lot of them.”