CHAPTER TWO
At the sound of his friend’s voice, Mr. Mason shook his head, attempting to gain his wits back. “Ignore my idiocy a moment ago.” He extended his hand in my direction, a teasing smile flirting on his lips. “I’m Rune. And you are?”
I placed my right hand in his, stating automatically, “I know who you are. I’m Megan.”
Mr. Cooper stared. “I thought you didn’t want your name—”
“Shh,” I hushed the interloper. My eyes dipped as I watched the most beautiful man lean his head over my hand and kiss the top of it. I had to lean against the bar as my knees went numb in delight, all from a simple brush of his lips against my flesh. His skin was so warm, causing mine to heat even further, a few drops of perspiration dotting my forehead. Reluctantly, I took my hand back, our eyes still on one another’s. “They said you were thirsty. What can I get you?”
Mr. Cooper stated quickly, “I’ll take—”
My blue eyes snapped to him. “I said be quiet. I’m not talking to you.” Then my attention returned to where it wanted to be, my voice softening in a surge of need. “What would you like, Rune?”
Mr. Baker choked on a laugh and sat back on his barstool, silent and observant.
Mr. Cooper merely glared and attempted to flag down the other bartender.
Rune crooked his left arm and placed his strong, angular chin on a fist, his golden eyes shimmering in the light. Both slashes of his black brows lifted, a teasing smile still gracing his lips. The pheromones between us were off the charts—instant ignition. His purr was intimate as if he were swiping his tongue along my pebbled nipples already. “Let’s see, Megan. To start with, I would like you in the storage closet that I know is only twenty feet away—since my company built this building. Then I’d like for you to take off that tacky purple apron so I could undress you more easily—since I’ll be in that storage closet with you.”
I gasped in much, much anticipation. He was just as forward as I was.
Gimme, gimme this hot man. Naked. In the storage room. Pronto.
His friend Mr. Cooper glanced at him. “That’s a little forward, even for you, dickhead.”
“Butt the fuck out, like the beautiful woman said,” Rune growled.
He didn’t even bat an eyelash. “Have you met her before, like Finn has?”
Golden eyes narrowed to dangerous slits as he eyed Mr. Baker. “How do you know her?”
Mr. Baker lifted his hands, as if in surrender. A small grin was curving the edges of his lips. “Not in that way. I’ll explain later.” He lowered his hands and tipped his head to the back room. “We’ll wait, by the way. Have your fun.”
Mr. Cooper started massaging his forehead but didn’t comment further.
Golden eyes skimmed back to my face, staring at my lips. “Yes or no, beautiful?”
I snapped my jaw shut and glanced at the other bartender. “Let me see if she’ll cover for me.”
There was no way I was passing up an impressive man between my legs. My core was already singing his praises, wet and needy for him. I required release like I needed my next paycheck.
Mr. Baker was ever so helpful. “Wolfe and I will keep her busy. Go on.”
My brows snapped together. “Why are you being nice?”
Nothing was ever free.
His massive shoulders shrugged. “I’m a gentleman like that.”
“A gentleman who loves knives and has a friend who can practically fly through the air.” I snorted, memories of his friend, Cassander, jumping higher than anyone ‘normal’ ever could. Though I tried to block out the memories of my kidnapping as much as possible. None of it made any sense. “But I’ll take it. Keep her busy for a while?”
Rune stood from his barstool and slapped a hand down on Mr. Baker’s shoulder. He nibbled on his bottom lip, even as he watched me remove my apron and turn in the direction of the storage room. He ordered quietly, “A long while, Finn. If anyone interrupts us, I’ll kill them.”
“I believe you, man. I believe you.” Mr. Baker patted his friend’s hand. Then he was lifting an arm as I hurried on fast feet to my orgasm destination, his deep voice booming inside the crowded bar. “Excuse me, miss? Yes, you. I’d like to know all about the liquor you have here.”
“What’s his problem?” my partner in bartending asked me.
I hurried past her. “No clue.” I didn’t look back.
I dodged in and out of customers at the standing tables, a few sniffing in my direction and raising their eyebrows as I skittered past them. Then their attention would catch on Rune following at a safe distance behind, their eyes widening before they abruptly found another place to stare.
I was sure he was intimidating to most. Just not me.
All I wanted was a fan-fucking-tastic sexy time with him. That was all.
His status in life didn’t bother me. It just didn’t impress me the way it did others. I’d known powerful men forever. Another one didn’t mean anything.
Rune managed to beat me to the storage room—or closet as he had stated. I eyed the inside as he opened the door for me, my nose wrinkling at the small space. But fuck it. I wanted to get fucked.
I stepped into the area and turned to the side so he could fit too.
He didn’t bother to turn on the one light as he shut the door behind himself. There were no shelves in here yet, the building still new. No brooms or cleaning supplies to step on. It was just him and me and the walls hugging us—literally embracing us it was so tight a fit.
Darkness and instant heat descended.
He grunted as he wiggled his shoulders, trying to find a more comfortable position. He muttered softly, “I forgot how tiny this place was.” Another grunt—as he stepped on my right foot.
I pulled my shoe out from underneath his. “Maybe we should wait for later?”
Shut up, Megan. Shut up!
“To hell with that. I’m rock hard and need to be inside your sweet little cunt.” His warm palms landed on my sides, right above my hips. “We can make do. I’ve been in more cramped quarters than this before. The woman still screamed my name.”
“Don’t need to know that, stud.” I grabbed at the hem of his t-shirt and yanked it up in jerky motions, banging my elbows against the walls. “Turn to the right a little.”
His chuckle was intimate as he did as ordered, removing his hands from my body to hold them above his head while I ripped his shirt off him. When I dropped his shirt at our feet and started tugging at his belt buckle in the dark, he dipped to press his lips against my ear, whispering, “As much as I want to make you scream my name…I’m irrationally possessive right now. I don’t want others hearing your pleasure. Think you can keep it down?”
Belt buckle undone? Check.
“We’re all the way back by the bathrooms, and it’s way too loud out there for anyone to hear me.” On to unbuttoning his pants and the zipper. Then I’d have the Holy Grail in my hand—heat and steel over satin-smooth skin.
Soft lips kissed the shell of my ear, his voice still gentle and quiet. “The background noise will help, but try to be as silent as possible. You have a very impressive clientele out there right now.” Shivers ran amok down my spine as his nose pressed against my temple, and he inhaled deeply. “Damn, you smell so good.”
I sniffed in his direction and damn near went boneless. How had I not noticed what he smelled like yet? It was a sensual mixture of a forest and sunshine, lazy afternoons spent basking under the sun’s rays. And a hint of fresh cloves. I groaned and pressed against him, done with his pants, my demand soft. “Kiss me and don’t hold back. It’s been a while for me. I need it hard.”
My shirt went flying over his head, his hands fast and experienced. “On it, beautiful.”
His mouth landed on mine, sure and confident of his lovemaking skills. Gentle and demanding all at the same time. Commanding and pulling me to fight back. Everything I never knew I wanted was wrapped in his passion, my head swimming in dizziness and pleasure.
I moaned and pressed back against the plumpest warm lips. I sank into him, raising my hands and threading my fingers through his baby soft hair, holding tight. My chest heaved as he tilted his head and bit my lower lip hard, then sucking it into his mouth. His tongue swiped back and forth over the glorious sting until I opened for him, and our tongues met.
The headiness of his mouth, the pressing of his tongue against mine… I was a goner.
He growled low in his chest at his first taste of me, slamming my back against the wall. He panted into the kiss. “Get those shoes off. I want your legs around my hips.”
I toed my sneakers off, glad I wasn’t wearing my boots today. They weren’t really useful for bartending, being on my feet all day. I grinned against his mouth as he kicked my shoes behind him. But he disappeared from my lips as he dropped lower to divest me of my pants and panties, quickly tugging them down my flesh and past my feet. My bra was a mere piece of material that he unhooked in record time and sent it soaring over his right shoulder.
His heated mouth found my right breast, latching onto my nipple with a low moan vibrating his throat. Rune whispered, “So much better without those hideous clothes.”
My head dropped back in pleasure, but I still hissed, “I’m not rich like a certain someone. It’s all I have, so be nice.”
He mumbled a non-coherent answer, his attention swinging to my other breast and lavishing it with his wicked tongue that circled and circled my nipple. He groaned as an afterthought, “Are you on birth control, Megan?”
“No. No cash for it.”
Rune’s mouth finally found my nipple and sucked. Hard.
I jerked in surprise. That felt like a punishment—a sensual one.
His lips popped off my breast, and he rose to his full intimidating height. He was at least a foot taller than my short stature, all flexing muscle and urgent with need. He grumbled—definitely disappointed, “There’s a condom in my back right pocket. Grab it.”
My lips twitched. “You wanted to bareback it, huh?”
“You have no idea how much I wanted to,” he stated on a purr. “Now grab the condom and put it on me. My hands are going to get busy.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist and found the correct pocket with one hand. My other slid under the waistband of his pants and grabbed an ass cheek. My eyes rolled into the back of my head.
Fuck, he had a toned, perfect ass.
Then my breath hitched in my chest. His right hand—definitely his dominant hand—cupped my wet core and began to gradually rub back and forth as he used his left hand to hitch my right leg over his hip. Giving him better access. He held my bare thigh tight in his large palm while his other hand went to work. I shuddered inside his hold, my grip on his ass tightening as he slid two fingers through my folds.
“So wet,” he groaned.
“Mhm.” I sighed and pressed my lips to his shoulder, taking a small lick against his flesh. I bit down as he gently slid his two fingers inside my core, squashing the shout of relief that wanted to rush forth. My hips repeatedly ground against the heel of his palm that he pressed against my clit, and I squealed softly against his shoulder. I released the bite, loving how he shuddered at the action. “So good, Rune. So good.”
“Shh, quiet now, beautiful,” he hissed, his voice dropping in guttural need.
I pulled my shaking hands between us and opened the condom packet. It was so damn hard to do with the way he pumped his fingers in and out of me, hitting my G-spot easily with the crook of his fingers inside me. I couldn’t contain my harsh breathing, my eyes closing in euphoria, my hands working without sight to pull his pants over his hips.
“Don’t drop the condom,” he whispered, sounding amused—and a little worried. His working fingers slowed their experimental exploration of my pussy, allowing me to think straight. “It’s the only one I have on me.”
“Dammit,” I growled. I gripped the condom tighter. Indeed, it was so slippery I had almost dropped it to the dusty floor in my haste to shove his pants down. I opened my eyes and squinted. Only the light slipping through the edges of the door aided in my fumbling to roll the condom down his impressive cock. I moaned at the hardness of him, the tip already wet with pre-cum. “Go slow, or you’ll split me in two.”
He had the cock of a god.
Long. Hard. Thick.
Fucking perfect. It would be un-fucking-believable inside me.
He pressed his hand against my core, his words a pure needy growl. “You’re tight as hell. I’ll be careful.” His head tilted in question, his black hair brushing his sharp cheek bone. “How long has it been?”
“About six months,” I muttered, done rolling the condom down. I pumped him a few times in my fist and grabbed his balls with my other hand, massaging them. My lips curved up at the edges at his shaking exhale. “And you?”
“Yesterday,” he moaned, his own head dropping back in pleasure.
I snorted. “So you are the playboy everyone says you are.”
He shrugged, the muscles in his shoulders bunching. “I am what I am. I love pussy.” Rune tipped his head back down, and grinned, flashing his straight white teeth in the darkness. “And the women I’m with don’t complain. They know the score.”
I sure as hell wasn’t complaining as he rubbed his palm against my clit again. “That would be?”
“The score?” Another brush of my clit.
I moaned an unsteady breath, and then muttered, “Yes.”
Blatant honesty. “I don’t settle down. With anyone.”
“Hmm. Sounds good.” And it did. I wasn’t looking for a relationship.
He sniffed at my hair and placed a gentle kiss against my lips. “But I do like the smell of chocolate chip cookies. I could get used to that.”
I chuckled quietly and slapped his shoulder. “None of that.”
His golden eyes roved my features, a small, intelligent grin gracing his lips ever so slowly. Rune didn’t comment after that, merely watching me—a smart hunter. I knew the type, knew when someone was looking into your soul to figure you out.
The man-god grabbed my other thigh, taking his talented fingers away from my intimate flesh, and hefted my frame up the wall. He grunted. “Jesus H., you weigh hardly anything.”
I had lost a few pounds living on the streets for a few weeks, but I wasn’t a big gal even in my peak form. Curious, I asked, “Complaining?”
He immediately backtracked. “Not at all, beautiful. I’m just not used to women your size.”
I squirmed inside his hold, pressing down against the hard length of him brushing against my damp flesh. I whined a little—unashamed, “I want you.”
With a smirk, he pressed his mouth against mine, his teeth cool against my lips. He crooned, “I like hearing you beg.”
I kissed his lips softly. “Please…”
His chuckle was all male appreciation. “Even better.”
Rune tilted his hips back, aligning the head of his cock against my opening and holding my thighs with ease. With gentle pressure, he pressed his hips forward. The man-god was being careful with me, retreating and persuasively moving forward again, every agonizing slow inch of his cock entering my gripping channel, a pained wish for more. Just a little more. Each time he re-entered me.
I bit my bottom lip to keep from crying out in yearning, my eyes stuck on his golden orbs like they held the mystery to life itself. And maybe they did. With the way he watched each change of my expression, his cunning eyes knew secrets I couldn’t fathom, innate to a sensual being made for pleasure. A confident and intelligent man who knew his own worth and relished it—in every way possible.
Those golden eyes closed for a brief moment, as the base of his pelvis hit mine, his cock fully seated inside me. Allowing my body to adjust fully, his own taut with tension, a need to move. Rune growled softly in his chest, his head falling forward to rest his forehead against the wall behind me. His lips grazed my shoulder as I gradually relaxed inside his hold.
He murmured, “Are you good?”
“Better than good,” I answered on a pant. “Keep going.”
“Hard or soft now?”
I smiled outright that he asked. He was already better than any other sexual partner I’d ever had. “I’m good however you want to give it.”
“Damn, so perfect,” he hissed. Rune’s fingers gripped my thighs tighter while he raised his head, his dilated, hungry eyes finding mine. “I’m going to fuck you. And fuck you. And fuck you.”
I sucked in a harsh breath and wasn’t able to reply before he acted.
His hips tilted back and then slammed forward.
“Oh, hot damn,” I groaned, my voice a soft cry.
One of his hands instantly released my thigh to plant itself over my mouth.
Then he was fucking the hell out of me.
Press and retreat. Slam and release. Over and over again.
Hard. And harder. Frantic. And flawless.
My small fingernails dug into his neck and my legs wrapped around his waist, holding on tight as his imposing cock pounded into me, stretching me to my sexual limits. My body quaked inside his hold with each of his heated plunges, and I tried to contain it. I really did. But there was no stopping it.
I screamed against his warm hand, my neck arching back, his palm following the motion with ease.
“Goddamn,” he hissed, breathing hard. He groaned and planted his lips on my neck, his hard muscles flexing against my damp skin with each slam of his hips. “Remind me next time to do this somewhere more private with you.”
I cried out again, the sound muffled against his palm, his pelvis rubbing deliciously against my clit. The words coming out of my mouth were unintelligible, a string of praises that didn’t make any sense. My core squeezed the hell out of his cock, wanting it all, the greedy bitch down below adoring the attention.
Rune chuckled against my neck, his teeth nipping softly. “Like that, beautiful?”
“Fuck…you…” I panted, my eyes rolling back.
He grinned against my flesh.
More spurts of pounding. In and out. Thick and brutal.
And there I went screaming again, the sensation breaking all control I had.
I clawed my fingers into his hair, grabbing handfuls, and yanked his head back. I shook my head, knocking his hand away from my face to slam my mouth against his. He pressed back even harder, slamming my head against the wall to take my mouth in a bruising, tongue tangling kiss, his wet tongue gliding over mine in a purely dominant taking. Slide and flick. Press and caress. His artistic tongue did it all.
A keening sound gurgled deep in my throat, his lips grinning against mine.
He wasn’t through with me yet if his resulting grin against my lips was any indication.
Rune’s hand cupped my breast, barely a handful against his big palms.
He pinched the shit out of my puckered nipple, tugging and twisting.
I froze and then shuddered hard inside his hold. It was an all-consuming body shake that required my partner to grab ahold of me and hang on tight…as he continued to rub his body against mine with hard flexes of his hips. His cock entered with fierce determination, only to coax as it retreated. Sweet gifts each one and he didn’t stop, forcing the blood running in my veins hotter and hotter.
Before I shouted this time, his hand was already there, those eyes, half hidden by hooded eyelids, watching and waiting. The weight of his palm was an oddly welcome treat, allowing me to give in as I wished. I hollered like a fucking beast as he ground against my clit, knowing I was close.
“So beautiful,” he whispered and pressed his lips to each of my closed eyelids for gentle kisses.
I whimpered, my body strung tight. That simple act of the softness above and hardness below undid me. My mind scattered as euphoria shot through my system. Heavy and unforgiving in its force as it took me over the edge. My entire frame jerked inside his firm hold, and his forehead touched down on mine while I floated.
He was whispering to me, phrases that didn’t quite reach the mind. But I knew they were adoring compliments about my body while I floated in the heady rush of my orgasm. I managed to hold onto him as my frame turned limp in his hold, his pounding rhythm never stopping, only becoming chaotic and fiercer.
My blue eyes fluttered open as I came down from the pleasure he had given me, his forehead still touching mine. His golden eyes were glassing over, only an inch away from my eyes, and he whispered—breathless, “And you’re back. Just in time for mine.”
I blinked and moaned as he hit his own peak of ecstasy.
I’d never witnessed such hot beauty before.
The edges of his incredible eyes pinched in tormented pleasure. The tip of his nose touched mine as his lips parted on a guttural groan. The bunched muscles of his shoulders and biceps twitched as his hard body jerked again and again against mine, his hard cock pumping deep inside me.
It was a sight to behold. The god-man escaping to the heavens.
I placed a shaking and tired hand on his cheek. Almost silently, I whispered, “And now you’re the beautiful one.”
And damn if the man didn’t manage a crooked grin before he pressed against me fully, weak and satisfied, and recovering, his forehead sliding from mine to rest back against the wall. With my body trapped between him and the sheetrock, he questioned quietly, “What’s your last name, Megan?”
I turned my head and rested my cheek against his chest, smashed as I was. “Marshall.”
Rune was silent for a moment in the quiet surrounding us. “That’s how Finn knows you.”
My eyes closed, and I sighed. “You heard about the kidnapping then.”
“I did.” He didn’t ask any more about it. Instead, he inquired in a too relaxed tone, “Would you mind if we exchanged numbers?”
“I thought that wasn’t your style?” I countered cautiously. Our chests were still heaving against each other’s, the clammy sweat still marking our bodies. But I wasn’t an idiot. “Why do you want it?”
“My usual style is to never get serious.” He paused, his voice free of any inflection. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t have repeat lovers.”
“Is that the only reason?”
Rune shrugged, his flesh moving under my cheek, avoiding my inquiry. “Yes or no, Megan. Number exchange or not.”
He wasn’t going to beg. I could understand that. It wasn’t in his nature.
Same as mine.
With an eventual nod, I stated, “I think I’d like that. As long as it’s not serious.”
My life couldn’t afford serious. My crazy father would always be lurking out there.
The strength returned to our bodies in another minute, and we extracted ourselves from one another. In between dressing, we pressed our silver bracelets (mine was new) to the other and gave the command to swap numbers. I left the storage closet first and went back to my station behind the bar, ignoring the other bartender who appeared relieved to see me return—as she literally ran away from Mr. Baker and Mr. Cooper, who were true to their word keeping her busy with non-stop chatter about our liquor distribution license. Rune went to the bathroom to clean up, and dispose of the condom, while I finally served Mr. Cooper his drink—whiskey straight up.
Mr. Baker watched me shove the purple apron back over my head. Absently, he pointed at my hair. “It’s a little messed up.”
Horrified, I quickly ran my fingers through it. “Thanks.”
He nodded his white head of hair in a manly ‘you’re welcome.’
Mr. Cooper sipped on his drink and chuckled softly. “And now she blushes.”
I glared, even if my cheeks were a firm shade of pink. I patted at my hair again, ignoring Rune as he sat down next to his buddies on a barstool. I peered back to Mr. Baker, asking, “Is it better?”
“It is, but you’ve got…,” he pulled a napkin off the bar, “…let me see your right hand.”
I glanced down at my right hand, worried what might actually be on it, but I didn’t see anything there. I held out my hand to him and watched as he held it in his. I flinched in surprise, trying to jerk my hand back, except he held it tight. I growled, “Hey! I think you cut me with your long ass fingernails.”
Though they didn’t look long. They were short and well-manicured.
“Sorry,” Mr. Baker muttered. He rubbed at a spot that I swear was clean, then at another place where a thin line of blood had formed on my hand. He dipped his head down to inspect the cut, a cocky smile forming on his lips as he stared at my flesh. His head lifted, and he released my hand. “Guess I didn’t get you that bad. There’s not a mark on you.”
“Huh?” It had hurt. I raised my hand and stared at it. It was blemish free. “Guess you’re right.”
Whiskey spewed from Mr. Cooper’s mouth, and I quickly dodged the liquor flying at me. While I glared, he pounded on his own chest, staring at the top of the bar, his eyes wide. He set his glass down on the bar, and pointed at it, muttering in a choked voice, “I’ll take another one of those, miss.”
I stared. “You sure you can keep it down?”
He nodded, still staring at the table.
Rune blinked, eyeing his perfectly manicured nails—these guys were high maintenance. His black brows were starting to furrow. “Huh. I had a feeling about that. Though it’s one thing to wonder, another for it to be true.”
Mr. Baker thumped him on the back, still smiling for some damn reason. “Want that drink now, friend?”
He nodded. A lot. “Maybe the whole bottle until this sinks in.”
My eyes flicked between the three of them in turn. I eventually mumbled, “You guys are weird.”
Mr. Baker laughed, his entire face filled with mirth. “Just you wait and see. We get a lot weirder.”