Chapter 18—Naked Screen

Tyler grimaced and suppressed his inclination to barf.

The brotherhood and several other bar patrons surrounded Tyler’s cousin as if he were the second coming. It was disgusting. Derek, who normally didn’t like being in the limelight, basked in their attention like Cougar lying in the one spot of sun streaming in the living room window. Sure, Derek oozed kindness and concern in nauseatingly high doses. Even worse, his sincerity attracted people in droves. He loved everybody, and everybody loved him. If his cousin had an enemy, Tyler hadn’t met him. He suspected Derek hadn’t, either.

Even worse, his butthead cousin was telling stories about Tyler’s past escapades, stories that painted Tyler in a way-too-flattering light and endangered his asshole reputation.

Insulated by the other defensive players, Murphy slouched in his chair and watched the entire scene with an eagle eye. No doubt the butthead filed every detail away for future ammunition to nail Tyler’s ass. Derek told him to cut Murphy some slack. The guy just wanted a Super Bowl ring before he retired.

Whatever.

Tyler frowned and flipped his chair around to concentrate on something more intriguing than his cousin’s bullshit, his teammates’ amusement, and the local residents’ hero worship of Dickwad Ramsey.

Propping his long legs on the chair next to him, Tyler watched Lavender’s fine ass while she bussed a couple tables. Damn, he loved that ass of hers, loved the feel of it as he held on to her while banging her brains out. His mind drifted to even better visions.

“So, Harris, you ever play any sports other than football?”

Tyler’s feet landed on the floor with a bang. He snapped his head in Murphy’s direction, pissed the has-been linebacker interrupted his fantasy concerning Lavender, purple silk sheets, several plump strawberries, and a large can of whipped cream. “Huh?”

“He sure did. All-State in three sports. Coulda played in the majors if he’d wanted,” Derek inserted cheerfully.

“Why didn’t you?” Murphy probed, obviously looking for signs of weakness.

Tyler curled his lip into his baddest sneer. Murphy didn’t even lift one eyebrow. “Football was my passion.”

“Was being the operative word.” The bastard sneered right back.

Tyler cringed. He’d effed up. “I meant is my passion.”

“Too late now, fuckhead. Every one of us heard you with our own ears. Didn’t we, guys?”

The defensive players nodded, diving right into Murphy’s web of dissension. The offensive side looked everywhere but at Tyler. He’d dropped a notch in their eyes, thanks to their newest teammate.

Derek separated himself from the brothers. With a heavy sigh, he interceded. “Gentlemen, nothing good is going to come from picking sides. We’re all in this together.”

“Some of us are.” Murphy snorted, and Tyler itched to wipe that smug smile off his ugly mug.

Tyler rose to his full height. Planting his hands on the table, he leaned down and got in Murphy’s face. “Why don’t you fucking go to hell? This team did fine without you. We don’t need an asshole like you parading like he’s the fucking team savior. You wanna talk about try, fuckhead, we’ll talk about try. Tell me—just how many playoff games have you won in your way-too-long career? How many MVP awards? Why don’t you hang it up and admit defeat, Murphy? Rather than ripping my team in half with your bullshit.” Tyler took a moment to glare at the defensive players, driving home the point that they were part of his team, not Murphy’s. The cowards looked everywhere but at Tyler.

For emphasis, Tyler slammed his fist into the table, causing the brothers to jump. He spun around and crossed the room before he turned the arrogant asshole into whale bait and threw his mutilated body in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Some unfortunate sucker with crappy timing sat on Tyler’s favorite barstool. One murderous glance sent the jerk diving for cover. Tyler swung a leg over the seat and stared at nothing.

“You could be nicer to him, you know. He’s just trying to figure out where he fits in with the team.” Lavender stood near his barstool, an empty tray in one hand and a pitcher of beer in the other.

Tyler rubbed his sore knuckles and glowered at her. “I don’t do nice when it comes to assholes.” A predatory smile lit up his face. “But I could be convinced to be nice to you for a price.”

“Sorry, jock boy. I wouldn’t be interested if you were free.”

“You didn’t say that last night or this morning.” He inhaled a whiff of her perfume. His brain fell into a fog. Some of his anger fell away. “I was really nice to you.”

“We don’t even like each other. Remember?” The gleam in her brown eyes promised untold pleasures. She ran a finger across his lips. He cleared his suddenly parched throat.

Oh, yeah, he remembered. In fact, last night had been filled with tons of dislike. “How about we practice being enemies some more tonight?”

“Sorry. Not unless you agree to be nicer to him.”

Damn, she was a frigging tough negotiator. “What do I get out of it?”

“Besides team unity?”

He rolled his eyes. “Fat chance that’ll happen as long as both of us are breathing.”

“What do you want?” Lavender put a finger under his chin and pulled his face close, real close. He could smell mint gum on her breath.

“I’m a greedy bastard. I want a lot.” He did want a lot. He wanted something unexplainable, something unfathomable to his asshole self-programming. Yet he wanted it. He didn’t know what the hell it was, but he’d know it when he got there. He also knew Lavender might be his best ticket to that destination.

The truth slammed him to the ground harder than a tackle by a three-hundred-pound lineman.

She could help him find the missing piece of his empty life. Somehow she’d been dropped on him when he needed what she had to give. He hated to go all Zan on himself, but he believed in intuition and instincts. They’d served him well over his football career. Without them, he’d be just another quarterback instead of a future Hall of Famer with two Super Bowl rings and a few more left in him. At least he hoped there was gas left in that tank.

He met her brown eyes and recognized a kindred spirit, someone who hid pain behind a brash exterior. He looked away, uncomfortable with what he was feeling.

Last night she’d seen him at his most vulnerable. She’d sidestepped past his asshole front and right into his soul. That didn’t sit well with him.

Sex. This thing between them had to remain about sex and only sex. He craved her body. Her sassy attitude challenged him. Her imaginative approach to sex made him harder than a bronzed penis. But it stopped there.

It had to stop there.

 

* * * * *

 

Lavender watched Tyler as he bent over his iPhone and texted some anonymous person. Anonymous to her, obviously not to him. A smidgen of jealousy settled in her stomach.

Tyler looked up and caught her staring. She flinched, fearing he’d read her face. Try as she might, she couldn’t save herself and look away. Only when he held his phone up for her to see the screen did she avert her gaze to the phone. He’d been texting his mom.

He knew. He knew she’d been jealous. Just like he’d been yesterday almost to the point of losing control. In order to be jealous, a person needed to care at least a little.

She glanced back at him. He locked gazes with her. His blue eyes burned intensely, and she fell back a step. Something between them shifted and leaned off-kilter, teetering and unbalanced. They crossed an invisible emotional boundary, stuck a toe in water beyond their comfort zones.

Lavender shook off her crazy thoughts. She shoved them out of her mind and away from the temptation to want something more out of this relationship, the temptation to consider there’d ever be something more.

She didn’t believe in love. She’d seen its effects with her broken-hearted mother. She’d suffered its effects each time she’d allowed herself to fall for the wrong guy. No thank you. She didn’t need that shit. Leave love to the dreamers and fools. She was no fool.

Tyler was a jock. While she’d admit not all jocks were bad, Tyler was one of the bad ones. He wore his cockiness and attitude for all to see. Besides, Tyler shared some of the same traits as her father, good and bad. They loved sports, were married to the game, and any woman in their lives would always take a back seat to their sport of choice, be it basketball, football, baseball, or even Ping-Pong. A jock lived for the game. Even after he quit playing, he coached or announced. Whatever he chose to do, the sport dragged him away from home, leaving behind the ones he professed to love—not the way to a successful marriage, and certainly not a great way to raise kids with an absentee father.

She knew. She’d lived that story. She’d never willingly live it again. She wouldn’t wait at home for her husband to return from practice and a night of analyzing game film, just to see him for a few minutes each day. Then he’d be up at six a.m. and back to the practice facility to start the process all over again.

Sex she needed, and sex Tyler Harris provided. The man redefined insatiable. She didn’t need to love anything else about him. Keep it simple and physical, that was the plan. She’d deviated from that path lately. Time to walk the straight and narrow, no detours, and not cross any emotional borders.

Lavender headed behind the bar, Tyler hot on her heels. He backed her up against the counter. His hips pressed against hers.

“You’re making me crazy. I can’t get enough of you. All day long, I think about having sex with you. I wake in the middle of the night and think about it some more.”

“You’ve been getting your fill.” Lavender slid out from the counter and grabbed a bar rag to wipe the tables.

“I can never get my fill.” His blue eyes turned midnight black. A lock of dark hair fell over one side of his forehead. She wanted to touch it, brush it back. He shoved his fingers through his hair, pushing it off his face. He cornered her again, cutting off her escape route.

“Your team’s watching.”

“Yeah, so? I’ll get rid of them.” Ty strode across the room, tossed the house keys at his cousin. They exchanged a few words. A few seconds later, the guys filed out the door, but not before Derek winked at her over his shoulder.

Zach hesitated, as if ready to go another round with Tyler. Instead, he turned his attention on her. He tossed a broad grin in her direction. “Hey, El, honey, when you get tired of this dick and want a real man, give me a call.”

Tyler growled, but Lavender stepped between them and smiled sweetly at the man. “I’ll be sure to do that, Zach.”

Zach kissed her cheek, lingering a little longer than necessary. Then he, too, followed the rest of his teammates out the door.

Tyler stood near the doorway, hands fisted, legs spread apart, as if debating whether or not to go after Zach.

“Drop it, Ty. He’s trying to get to you, and you let him.”

Frowning, Tyler turned back to her. “Yeah, I know, but you won’t be calling him.”

She considered taking exception to his order but decided to drop it. “So, you’ve chased them all out, now what did you have in mind?”

“I have a lot in mind. Derek told me to go to your house, said he doesn’t want to be kept awake all night.”

“You told him we’d make noise?”

“I didn’t need to. He knows me. Let’s get out of here. Your bed’s waiting.”

“My bed? I had something more daring in mind.”

Tyler grinned, always game for sex in unusual places. “Tell me.”

“It’s your turn. Come up with something.”

He ran his thumb across his lips. “Yeah. I have just the place.” He nodded and started putting glasses in the dishwasher. The sooner they cleaned up, the sooner they could get naked.

“For wild monkey sex?”

“Oh, yeah. I love how your mind works.”

Lavender leaned forward and milked his erection through his jeans. “I bet it’s not my mind you love.”

“Oh, baby, you have that right. Minds are overrated. Give me an X-rated body any day or night.”

A second later, Tyler hopped behind the wheel of her car. They sped down the road to an unknown destination.

 

* * * * *

 

Tyler drove easily, maintaining an aura of nonchalance. To be honest, he didn’t know where the hell he was going. He figured he’d drive until he got there. Sex in an elevator was out. He didn’t think there were any on the entire island. A back alley didn’t do it for him because of the dumpster smell. Plus, it seemed pretty damn tacky. He craved something more. He struggled for the right word, but the only word that came to mind was romantic. Being romantic was not him. Regardless, he kept coming back to the word, a foreign—though intriguing—concept.

A full moon shone in the clear night sky. He pictured Lavender’s naked skin illuminated by the soft light of the moon. Unseasonably warm weather and windless conditions resulted in temps in the balmy low sixties. Sex outside would be in the realm of comfortable possibilities. Not that he and Lavender couldn’t generate enough heat to be comfortable in below-freezing temperatures.

Purple lady didn’t make it easy on him or his rough-and-ready cock. She stroked him through his jeans, making it damn hard for him to concentrate on his driving. He skidded around one corner a little too fast. His distracted driving didn’t deter her. She unbuttoned the top button on his jeans and slid down the zipper. He raised his hips to give her easier access, even as he bared his teeth and bit back a primal groan.

Her hand slid inside his jeans. She cupped his balls, squeezing lightly.

“Oh, yeah, baby. Keep that up, and we’ll screw right here on the double-yellow line.”

Her soft laughter touched his heart. Damn, he loved the sound of her voice whether it was soft, sexy, sassy, or demanding.

Rounding a corner on the two-lane road, Tyler spotted a sign indicating the entrance to a county park. He grinned and slowed down the car. Rescued at last.

“Here?” Lavender’s fingers froze between his legs. She stared into the dark woods at the side of the road.

“Why not, El?” Hell, any place was a good place for sex, especially with Lavender.

“The park is closed for the night.” His bold little vixen turned into a shy, proper lady. He knew better. She was anything but proper. With a slight tremble, she pushed her red hair off her face and stared out the window.

A little thing like a locked gate never stopped Tyler. He pulled off the side of the road and parked the car. “You got a blanket in this thing?”

“In the back seat.”

“Grab it and let’s go.” He didn’t want to keep his boy waiting. It’d been patient for way too long. He unfolded his long legs from the driver’s seat and hopped out, checking his wallet for a condom and finding three. He couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face. His dick twitched, reminding him to get back to the matter at hand.

Lavender hung back. “Tyler, are you sure? What if someone comes along?”

“Then we’ll give them a show, won’t we?”

“This is not a good idea.”

“This is an excellent idea. Since when are you a coward?”

She glanced nervously at the gate and twisted that damn ring. “I’m not. It’s just—”

“Get the blanket.”

He expected her to balk at the authoritarian tone of his voice. She didn’t. Good thing. She’d had her turn being the boss. Lavender grabbed the blanket from the back seat and followed Tyler. He stood near the gate and waited for her. He hooked his arm over her shoulders and guided her down the dark path.

Lavender stumbled, but he caught her, hugging her to his side. “Do you have any clue where you’re going?”

“Nope. I’m not one to hang out in parks.”

“This is such a bad idea.”

“I like this idea. Great outdoors. Communing with nature. All that crap.”

“You can’t be that horny. Let’s go home, or at least to the car.”

“I’m in a perpetual state of horniness.” He might be horny, but he loved the anticipation, the craving, the torture of wanting something, and controlling his lust until it finally exploded like the grand finale in a fireworks display.

She sighed as if he’d asked her to work a double-shift or something. Little faker, she wanted this as badly as he did.

“Watch your step, baby.” Tyler stepped over a log, and she clung to him. He liked that. A lot. Rarely did Lavender depend on anyone, and even a small gesture like this one made him feel needed. He liked the feeling.

The path opened up into a clearing. He stopped at the edge of a patch of grass near a picnic table. Beyond the grass, a steep, rocky bank dropped down to the waters of the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Yeah, this was the place. Taking the blanket from Lavender, he spread it out on the tabletop.

“A picnic table?” She stepped back as if ready to flee. Not a chance in hell would he let her disappear on him.

“What’s wrong with a picnic table?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re worried about doing it here? Hell, we’ve done it in my truck.”

“I know, but there were windows to steam up and protect us from others watching us.”

“El, no one is around. The park is closed. We have it all to ourselves.” He lowered his voice a notch, cajoling her. “Don’t you crave the forbidden, the possibility we could get caught? Doesn’t that turn you on?”

She lifted her face to his and dug those sexy red fingernails into his arm. “Yes. A little.”

He rubbed his cheek against hers, tugged on her earlobe with his teeth, finding that spot that drove her beyond sanity. She gripped his arm harder and turned her head to seek out his lips. He covered her mouth with his, sucked on her tongue, applied perfect pressure calculated to drive a female crazy. Oddly, the only female he cared about driving crazy happened to be his purple lady.

Panting, she drew back and looked up at him. Way up. She was such a petite little thing. The determination in her chocolate eyes weakened his football-damaged knees, while his dick jerked inside his unzipped jeans.

“Just screw me. Anywhere. I don’t care. Just bury your big guy inside me and drive down the field.”

“Impatient, aren’t we?” With a grin, he put his hands on her waist and lifted her up until she stood on the bench, which put them eye-to-eye. “If it makes you feel any better, waiting hurts me as much as it hurts you.”

“I doubt that. You’re the epitome of calm.” She rested her hands on his shoulders and gazed into his eyes. He gazed back, liking what he saw.

“It’s my game face. Trust me. Inside I’m a raging ball of lust.”

She raked her gaze down his body and back up again. “I want you.”

Oh, damn. If she looked at him one more time like that, it’d be all over. “You’ll get me, but tonight I’m in charge.”

Tyler unzipped her hoodie and pushed it off her shoulders. “Let’s get you a little more comfortable.” He unbuttoned her blouse, and it, too, followed the sweatshirt to the grass. Lavender leaned toward him in an attempt to press her body against his. “Don’t move or you’ll face the consequences.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Oh, honey, just play along. It’ll all be worth it in the end.”

She nodded and stood straighter, hands clasped behind her back.

“Good. Keep your hands there.”

With an exaggerated sigh, she thrust out her breasts and stood still before him. The breast thing tantalized him and tugged at his control.

Getting back to the job at hand, he unzipped her jeans and slid them down her legs, taking his time despite the need throbbing through his groin. She stepped out of them without him asking. Standing back, he surveyed her almost-naked body. A hot-pink lace bra barely confined her big tits. Her nipples stood out under the lace. He couldn’t discern their outline in the moonlight, but his imagination filled in the blanks. His gaze dropped lower to her curvy hips and pink panties. They didn’t cover much more than a G-string. Pretty soon those panties wouldn’t cover anything.

Tyler leaned his head close to her until their breath mingled. Holding her face in his hands, he traced her lush lips with his tongue. She moaned in response, and her hips rubbed against his. He found himself smiling, loving the power he had over her, even as he acknowledged she possessed a similar power over him. His cock strained against the fly of his jeans, demanding attention. He forced it to wait because tonight was about Lavender, not him.

The realization gave him pause. With Cass and other women, he’d made it about him. Sure, he met their needs at the same time. He was just that good, but he’d never focused solely on a woman’s pleasure and forced his desires to take a back seat.

Her mouth opened to his tongue. He closed his eyes and let his talented tongue work its magic. Their mouths mated, starting slow and working to a fever pitch, a fever he’d better rein in if he planned on taking this slow.

Pulling away despite her protests, he worked his way down her body. Lingering at those mouthwatering nipples, he scraped his tongue across them through the thin lace barrier of her bra. She wiggled and pressed herself against him. He took one in his mouth, sucking on it, wetting the lace, sucking harder. He switched to the other, gave it the same treatment.

Holding her waist to keep her from moving, he knelt down and kissed a path to her belly button, then lower. He slid the panties down her legs and ran his hands up the inside of her thighs.

She trembled and swayed, as if her knees wouldn’t hold her up.

He parted her and buried his head between her legs, seeking out the moist heaven concealed there. He used his tongue to toy with her clit. He took her clit in his mouth and sucked. Her body shook with a spasm. He sucked harder. Her hips pumped, grinding her cunt into his face. She came with a rush. Her sweet juices coated his face. She cried out into the still night and sank downward.

Tyler caught her before she fell off the bench and laid her on the blanket.

His turn.

She lay still, limp and spent. Her legs splayed out to the sides, opened wide for his pleasure. Her wet pussy glistened in the moonlight. Tyler rubbed his shirt sleeve across his wet face. His cock demanded some action. A tremor shot through his body in warning. His fine thread of control was in danger of snapping.

He closed his eyes for a moment and breathed deeply. In. Out. In. Out. Oh, man, that made it worse. All he wanted to do was plunge his cock in her tight, wet pussy and forget the rest of the world existed. When he was with her, nothing else did exist.

She blinked and raised her head slightly to look at him. “Screw me.”

He nodded. His head hurt from the strain of holding back. It was time to give his cock some relief. He unzipped his jeans and dropped them to the ground. He had a condom out of his pocket and on his dick in record time.

Moving close, he guided his cock into her entrance.

“Give it to me. Hard. Don’t hold back.”

Ah, hell. How could any sane man resist that invitation? He let loose with the fury of a man who’d waited too long. Slamming into her, he took up a rhythm and went with it. Hard, fast, and deep. All control gone. She writhed under him, crying out words of encouragement, pushing him into sweet insanity until the world exploded and took them with it.