Chapter Five
Jesus. If any more of Henrik’s blood ran south, he’d be seeing double.
Ailish sat beside him on the bench seat of his truck, her hand resting on his inner thigh. Her breast flattened against his right triceps. They could both see the tented fly of his pants, so there was no pretending it didn’t exist. It was right. There. Growing more swollen by the minute, as if trying to tempt her hand into making that final journey and giving him a good hard stroke.
The morning had not gone according to plan. Their encounter in the park had been months ago and so damn brief, no one should remember it. No one, save himself, who’d read between the lines of her statement and heard a cry for help. A cry he’d been powerless not to answer. Now he knew why. Some intuitive part of him had seen the goodness inside her. She couldn’t hide it. The very idea of her behind bars with hardened criminals turned him inside out. Thank God he’d gotten rid of the evidence against her. That was the only sentiment he could muster.
Unfortunately, the girl was pissed as hell at him, despite her attempts to prove the opposite, by all but climbing onto his lap and giving him the world’s most brutal erection. Even worse, he’d set himself way back in the trust department by not admitting he remembered seeing her in the park that day. He had a lot of work to do, especially if she was going to feel secure enough to testify.
As of now, Henrik was pretty sure Ailish was compiling a mental list of ways to leave him sputtering like an asshole in the dust, so returning to Chicago with her in tow seemed unlikely. But he would do his job and protect her until a decision was reached. There was a twisted part of him that hoped Caine would send a couple more men their way, just so he could send the man a message. No one touched Ailish on his watch. And someone would be paying for her black eye. Since the man who delivered the injury was dead, it would need to be Caine. The man who’d sent violent men to retrieve his own daughter.
Henrik released a pent-up breath. If he allowed his protective streak toward Ailish to build, there wouldn’t be a hope of resisting her when they got back to the cabin. And his dick needed to stay where it belonged. Inside his pants. Already she was suspicious of his motivation, and sex would only increase that distrust. Make her question his intentions.
What exactly are your intentions?
As they pulled into the rental campsite, Ailish’s hand inched higher on his leg. “Almost there.”
You’re telling me. “I told you last night, Ailish. We can’t.”
Okay, he’d barely managed to convince himself with that utter lack of conviction, let alone Ailish. “You said you wanted to kiss me.”
“Wanting and doing are two different things.”
“Now you’re talking about doing.” She clucked her tongue. “Make up your mind, Growler.”
Jesus, she was so damn cute, he almost threw the truck into park right there, on the side of the road, just so he could tell her so. “I changed my mind about something. Last night, you said you don’t usually talk to men…the way you spoke to me.”
“About my see-through panties?”
“Yeah, that.” He sounded like someone was strangling him. Probably because he could already feel the subsequent regret from his next question. Not to mention they were having a casual conversation about her underwear. “What do you usually do?”
Ailish ran her fingertips up the inside of his arm. “Little touches like this. Or straightening a tie when it’s not really crooked.”
Henrik stuffed down the urge to clap a hand over her mouth, make her stop talking about what she did to entice other men. But finding out what made her tick was more important.
“There was one man who worked for my dad who had to leave the room whenever I ate a Popsicle. I think he hated me a little.”
Christ. Henrik might have actually felt bad for the guy if he didn’t wish him permanent blindness and non-opposable thumbs. “Why do you do it?” he managed.
“Because they kept me confined. Ran my life. I needed a way to feel like I had something…some kind of weapon.” Her touch slid ever so slightly higher on his jeans, the very tip of her middle finger brushing his cock. “Since I couldn’t date, I learned to be content with being wanted.”
“Yeah?” he rasped. “You must be pretty damn content.”
She turned her face into his neck…and just exhaled. “No. I don’t think I’d be content with just teasing you. I’d want more.”
Regret didn’t even begin to cover what he felt for leading them into this little question-and-answer period. He hadn’t thought it possible to need her more, but she’d slammed her foot down on the accelerator pedal of his lust like a Formula One driver. The remainder of his functioning brain zeroed in on two things she’d said. I couldn’t date…I learned to be content. “Ailish, baby, are you a virgin?”
“No,” she said, her focus on his mouth. “But I don’t think that one guy in high school would be an even match for you.”
It was lucky they had just reached the parking area, because Henrik might have crashed the truck otherwise. He shoved the car into park, his intention to get out of the vehicle to calm himself down. Breathe through the wild arousal his body had been gripped with. Yeah, he just needed to get out of the truck. Now.
Henrik yanked Ailish onto his lap sideways and fit her snug ass right over his cock. Then he gripped her hips and moved her in a circle, groaning at the friction, the openmouthed look of awe on her face. “No, Ailish, he wouldn’t be a match for me. Because once I’d been inside your body, you sure as fuck wouldn’t be referring to me as the guy afterward. I’d be the man whose name can still make you sweat through your clothes. The man whose name makes you cross your thighs and palm your tits. Don’t ever speak about me in the same breath as the guy. Ever again.”
Her wide-eyed shock lasted a few beats before her spine snapped straight. “Was there a pl—”
“Please.” Lord, this girl was going to drive him crazy. “All right? Please don’t ever do it again.”
Ahhhh then Ailish just melted into him, her bottom doing this half scoot, half drag on his lap and wrenching a curse from the depths of his soul. With his harsh sentiment still hanging in the air, her lips settled against his. Light, light, like fog rolling in above lake water. Hell broke loose inside him despite the gentleness of her kiss, however, his bones expanding, the organ guarded by his rib cage booming, booming. He could actually see the white flag of surrender lifting. To the kiss. Just a kiss. Pulling away—especially when she suddenly seemed so unsure—was beyond his capabilities where Ailish was concerned.
Henrik licked along her bottom lip. “Part your lips for me and I’ll give you a kiss.” He cupped her right knee and squeezed. “But you keep your thighs together. If you open them up like you want more than my mouth, I’ll stop.”
“Okay,” she whispered, appearing dazed. “For now.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to issue another warning, but she mimicked the way he’d licked her bottom lip…and Henrik fell into the abyss. He released her knee in favor of bringing her head close, close as possible, until their mouths were meshed so tight it was an effort to work his lips. And fuck, it was well worth the effort, because she tasted like coffee and fruit and hazy afternoon sex. He couldn’t even recall a time he’d experienced afternoon sex, but this is how he’d always imagined it. Slow and greedy. Mouths picking up speed, lips growing slick. Hands that grew steadily more demanding, the way his were. Twining in her long red hair, tugging, growling in answer to the way she gasped at his treatment.
She did this goddamn thing, running her fingertips over his nipples. Jesus, had he ever liked that before? He sure as shit did now. Even more when she seemed to sense he wanted more…and she scratched at them through his T-shirt. As if those two disks had a direct line to his cock, the swelling between his legs increased, but the flesh had nowhere to go with Ailish sitting right on top of him. Unless he moved her skirt just a little to one side and made room. Don’t do it.
If he shoved her legs apart, there would be a wet spot on her panties. He knew right where it would be. And he’d want to palm that wet cotton and slide it up and down her clit. If he allowed himself that privilege, he wouldn’t stop until her back was bumping against the steering wheel.
“No more,” he growled at her mouth. “That’s enough.”
“Not enough,” she panted, her fingers fidgeting with the collar of his T-shirt. “You haven’t given me enough yet.” Those hazel eyes were packed full of challenge as she twisted around in his lap—choking the breath from his lungs—and pushed open the driver’s side door. She hopped out onto the dirt ground and threw a sultry look over her shoulder that had the impact of a right cross. “I guess I’ll just take care of the rest myself.”
Oh fuck no. That hadn’t just happened. Ailish had warned him. She’d told him teasing was her thing, but he hadn’t expected it to put him on his proverbial knees. Not when she came across so innocent and sympathetic. She sure as hell wasn’t sympathetic toward him right now—because he was going to need a medic just watching her walk. That short floaty skirt of hers swung up beneath her ass with every step she took toward the cabin, lapping at the underside of those cheeks. Cheeks that had been wiggling around on his hard dick a few seconds ago. Goddamn, she moved like she wanted it. Wanted it bad. And apparently he’d been programmed with the responsibility to give it to her.
Resist.
Across the courtyard, two men stood looking under the hood of a truck, but when they caught sight of Ailish, their heads whipped around faster than a washing machine spin cycle. Henrik didn’t bother biting back his growl as he shut off the truck and followed Ailish toward the cabin, transferring eye contact between the two men as he went. Yeah, she isn’t staying alone, so don’t even think about it.
Henrik reached the cabin door just as Ailish pushed it open. He expected her to walk straight in, but instead she did the worst thing imaginable. There was a white envelope on the threshold with the rental company’s logo and the word “Invoice” stamped on the front. So naturally, Ailish bent over to pick it up, without even having the decency to bend her knees. And after an hour of being hyperaware of the garment’s abbreviated length, Henrik knew what would be exposed to anyone who happened to be watching outside. His only option was to step forward and hide her backside with his lap and upper thighs.
“Motherfucker.” The shield of her skirt was gone, leaving only the barrier of his jeans…and almost nothing to the imagination. A warm pussy and taut thighs that looked flexible enough to spread with ease. She was curved to take a man the roughest way possible, and his body responded with rampant enthusiasm. Because of the innate sweetness she cloaked herself in, Henrik had never allowed himself to fantasize about taking Ailish in this position. He was a large man and was well used to holding back half his strength during sex. But Christ, presented with a stance that would be so easy to maintain with two steps forward, where he could push her facedown onto the bed and take, take…his composure tilted and swayed.
After an eternity Ailish straightened, a move that slid her cheeks down his erection. Instead of stepping away, she pushed up on her toes and arched her back, fitting into the notch of his lap, but in a standing position this time. And if he’d been wearing handcuffs, he would have broken straight through them. Nothing could keep his right arm from wrapping around her waist, lifting her higher, using her body to place pressure on his throbbing cock. Ailish made a little mewling noise that sounded like his name, and he lost it. He fucking lost it.
Henrik kicked the door shut and walked Ailish farther into the cabin. “Hands on the dresser.” As she followed his instructions, Henrik pulled her hair aside to attack her neck with bites. “You want to tease me, you do it right.”
He could see her reflection in the bathroom mirror, just a couple yards away. There was no trepidation or indecision on her face, just the fading of relief…the beginnings of bliss. This girl really did love acting the temptation, and maybe that should have irritated him. Or made him worry for the future of his sanity. Right now, it only turned him the fuck on. She was his naughty girl to endure. Bring it on.
“Tell me how it feels when you come,” he breathed into her ear. “It’ll make me so fucking hard.”
Ailish’s body dipped on a moan, but he caught her, instructing her with a growl to get her hands back on the dresser. “It can get harder than it is now?”
“It gets so damn hard, Lish.” His mouth moved in her hair, harassing the back of her neck, her shoulders. “That few minutes before I let it bust, you would be screaming for me to stop into your pillow. But you’d be spreading your legs wider for it. You wouldn’t want to let all that hard go to waste. I wouldn’t let you, either.”
“Oh…oh wow.” Their bodies breathed together—in and out in heavy gulps—for long moments before she spoke. “I…it always starts in my knees. I don’t know if that’s right or not, but it does. Like a ticklish feeling.”
“Mmm.” Henrik’s left hand slipped down the back of Ailish’s thigh, massaging the back of her knee, savoring the shaking whimper his touch produced. “Keep going.”
Her head fell to the side as Henrik licked across her shoulder. “H’ohhh. That feels…” He watched her hands flex on the dresser, would have smiled if he wasn’t in pain. “Um. I-I squeeze my thighs really tight around my hand…”
Fuck me. “You always use fingers on that pussy, Ailish? Nothing else?”
“Nothing else.”
A growl broke free without warning. Henrik slid his middle finger up the back of her thigh, slowly, so slowly, and felt Ailish hold her breath. Until finally his palm curved around the left side of her ass, rubbing the flesh beneath her skirt in circles. “My fingers are a lot bigger than yours. It would be more of a fucking than a fingering if I put my middle one down the front of your underwear. You could ride it just like a dick.”
Ailish pushed her backside into his hand on a moan and he squeezed, hard enough that she shot back onto her toes. With the depraved half of him rising to the surface, Henrik leaned back and lifted Ailish’s skirt, getting his first full look at her almost-bare backside. Shit. The girl was beyond fine. Not that her attractiveness was breaking news, but the cheap white cotton panties almost killed him. They covered everything, but hid exactly nothing. Those pretty palm-sized cheeks that had probably never been smacked, never been propped up in the air. God he wanted to be the first everything for that ass.
And hell, that was before she started to dance. She tossed that red hair back and started rocking her hips side to side, muscles flexing in her thighs and calves. For just a moment, Henrik was able to tear his rapt gaze from the temptation of her bottom to seek her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Jesus. Eyes glazed over, lips held prisoner by white teeth, she was the razor’s edge of temptation. Her expression of ecstasy alone would be enough to get Henrik off for a lifetime’s worth of showers, but combined with the standing lap dance she was treating him to? He’d be lucky to make it out of this situation alive.
Need just a few more minutes of this…then I’ll stop…
Henrik smoothed his hand down one side of her butt. “Giving me a private show, Lish? That’s real nice.” He had no control over the slap his hand delivered, or the groan that sailed past his lips when her flesh shook a little in response. “I’m going to put my cock up against it again. You ready for that?”
He watched a shudder run down her back. “Yes. Please.”
There was no help for him. Ailish was begging for contact with those swaying hips, that blissed-out look on her face. And dammit, if his erection grew any more, he’d bust through the zipper of his jeans. Friction equaled survival for him at this point. Maybe one last reminder to keep his fucking head was futile, but Henrik’s common sense issued the warning anyway as he stepped forward and—
“Ahhh. Christ.” When their lower bodies connected, Henrik reached past either side of Ailish to grip the dresser. She worked her tight ass on his lap, giving him the dirty kind of treatment a man gets in a private room at a strip club. The difference being, she wasn’t going through the motions. Her goal was to coax him into coming, draining right into his jeans. A little more of her dance and it would happen, too. He’d been dreaming of coming for Ailish since that day in the park. A significant part of him wanted to show her, too. This is what you do to me. But her parting shot in the car chose that moment to reverberate in his skull.
You haven’t given me enough yet.
The girl might get her kicks out of teasing, but he had a feeling she just hadn’t gotten something better yet. It was time someone fixed that oversight.
Henrik fisted a section of Ailish’s hair and tugged her head to one side, traveling up the side of her neck with bared teeth. “Feel how big you made me?”
Her nod was vigorous. “Yes,” she breathed. “I feel it.”
He openmouth-kissed the spot between neck and shoulder. “You’re a hot little tease, aren’t you? You like knowing I could unzip my jeans, give myself a couple pumps and spill all over that pretty ass. Huh?” His palm connected with her upper thigh. Crack. “But I told you last night. I told you you’re not the only one who can tease. Didn’t I?”
Without giving her a chance to answer, Henrik turned Ailish around, and seeing her dazed expression up close almost made him lose his train of thought. And it became imperative that he replace that confused arousal with satisfaction.
My responsibility. Mine.
Henrik maneuvered her toward the bed, using his body to guide her down onto the mattress, wasting no time fitting his dick into the notch of her thighs. Just for a few seconds. Just a few. Ailish was all wide eyes and shallow inhales of breath as she looked up at him, innocence so at odds with her seductress side.
Braced on his elbows, Henrik leaned down to kiss her mouth, rocking his hips forward just as their tongues met. Goddamn. Starbursts went off behind his eyelids, the lower planes of his stomach shaking. Somehow he found the will to end the kiss, to stop simulating the act he wanted to commit with her. “The difference when I tease, Alish?” Henrik eased down her body, lifting the hem of her T-shirt as he moved lower. “There’s a reward at the end.”
“What?” Her legs moved restlessly beneath him. “I—”
She broke off on a cry when Henrik bit down just inside her hip bone, nearly jackknifing off the bed. He pressed her back down onto the mattress with a palm to the chest and soothed the fading bite mark with his tongue. Then he sucked. He sucked the spot until it turned red, until the opposite leg tried to hook behind his neck and he was forced to pin her knee. “Breathe, Ailish,” he rasped. “I’m just getting started.”
Henrik moved across her body, giving the other hip the same treatment, before licking his way to the middle. Her belly button. It lifted and fell beneath his mouth, as if every part of her body had been programmed to tempt. To tease. So he gripped her hips to keep her still, noting that she stopped breathing above him.
Eyes trained on her face, Henrik hardened his tongue and stabbed it into Ailish’s belly button, savoring the surprised whimper she let fly.
“Oh, we can do better than that.” He slipped a hand up her rib cage to knead her breast. “Who has you on your back?”
“You. H-Henrik.”
“That’s right.” He pushed his chin into her pelvis and moved it side to side, holding her down when she tried to fly off the bed again. When she calmed a little, he scraped his stubble against her right hip. “We’re going to make sure everyone in the park knows it, too. Hold on to the sheets while you get a full body fucking from my mouth.”